


Where Loyalties Lie

by SerenBex



Series: More Than My Name [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2019-05-19 02:45:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 67,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14865153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerenBex/pseuds/SerenBex
Summary: If Regina thought things couldn't get harder after the year she's just dealt with, she soon realised that she was about to be proven wrong.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the sequel to Shades of Black. It would probably make a whole let more sense if you read that first.
> 
> :)

The aftermath of the events surrounding Dumbledore's death had been a blur. No one seemed quite sure what to think or how to react to the news that it had been Severus who had murdered the headmaster. Regina was convinced that those who were slowly becoming her friends and confidants would immediately turn against her, especially as it was no secret that her mother, Draco and Bella had all been involved in Dumbledore's death.

Emma played a huge role in convincing the other members of the Order of the Phoenix that Regina had not been to blame. Many arguments had broken out between the witches and wizards who seemed to hold not just Regina's, but also Henry's, future in their hands. Finally, with support from surprising quarters, the members of the Order decided to believe that Regina had not betrayed them or Dumbledore.

They did ask one thing, however; that Regina remain close to the Death Eaters in an attempt to stay one step ahead of them and their plans. Emma was furious that her friends could suggest something so dangerous to the older woman. She refused point-blank to even consider the fact that Regina should do what was asked of her. The brunette witch, however, agreed to do as she was asked, knowing that they needed every advantage they could scrabble together.

That was how, three weeks later, Regina found herself striding up the long driveway of her sister and brother-in-law's manor. She chewed the inside of her cheek nervously as she made her way quickly towards the house, wondering what kind of reception she would receive from those inside. From what the Order had managed to discover, Voldemort had taken up residence at Malfoy Manor since the events at Hogwarts and Regina was nervous as to whether she would make it out of the building alive.

"Gina?" Narcissa's voice met her ears before she had even placed her foot on the first step that led up to the impressive doorway of the grand house. "Is that you?"

"Ciss…" The younger woman smiled warmly, relieved to see that her sister looked the same as she always had. "How are you?"

Narcissa exhaled sharply and pulled her younger sister into a tight embrace. "I'm better now that I can see you're alright. Mother said that you'd had a disagreement about Henry and I was worried…"

Regina arched an eyebrow. "A disagreement? What did she tell you?"

"She said that she went to collect Henry from Ravenclaw Tower, but you refused to let him leave with her. She inferred that you had come to some sort of agreement about where Henry should remain and under whose care."

Regina's other eyebrow rose to meet the first, staring at her sister with a look of undisguised astonishment. "Did she now?" She mused thoughtfully. Clearly Cora hadn't shared the entirety of their exchange with her elder daughters, presumably embarrassed that Regina had got the better of her.

"Regina?" Narcissa frowned in confusion.

"How are things here?" The brunette asked, changing the subject abruptly. "Word has it that Death Eaters have successfully infiltrated the Ministry."

With a nod, Narcissa turned towards the Manor and the sisters began walking inside. "We have Pius Thicknesse, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, on side. I believe that the Dark Lord plans to remove the Minister for Magic from his position and replace him with Thicknesse before long."

"So the Ministry will be under his control." Regina nodded slowly. "And what of Hogwarts?"

"Severus is to become Headmaster." Seeing her sister's arched eyebrow, Narcissa chuckled. "I thought you would be pleased, dear."

"I am."

"You don't seem it."

Regina shot her a look. "I am presuming things are set to change drastically at the school. The Dark Lord will no doubt want to provide a presence at the castle. What is the plan?"

"I don't know, Gina." Narcissa told her truthfully. She led the way through the entrance hall and paused with her hand on the ornate bronze handle to a door behind which there was an unnecessarily long dining table. "The Dark Lord has gathered many of his most loyal followers here for a meeting. Bella is here… and mother. We are waiting on Severus for news."

"Lead the way." Regina instructed firmly, holding her head up high.

With a final, sisterly squeeze to her hand, Narcissa opened the door and strode confidently to her place between Lucius and Bellatrix at the table. Every single Death Eater in the room turned their gaze on Regina, eyeing her with a mixture of interest and suspicion. The witch noticed her mother's eyes narrowing, but ignored her and focused her attention on the wizard sitting at the head of the table.

"My Lord." She murmured, bending her head deferentially. "I apologise for my absence over the last few weeks. With the events at the castle… there were several awkward conversations that I needed to have."

"Regina…" Voldemort tilted his head slightly, fixing her with an appraising gaze. "Severus tells me that you have escaped the suspicion of those who remained at Hogwarts after Dumbledore's death."

"I have, my Lord." She agreed calmly. "It wasn't easy, but I have managed to convince them that I played no part in his death and knew nothing of the scheme."

There was a long pause and Regina knew that Voldemort was looking for any hint that she was lying. She held her ground, looking almost defiantly back at the wizard as he stared at her. She could sense the tension in the room as the other witches and wizards wondered what was going to happen.

Finally, Voldemort smiled and flourished a hand towards the free seat beside Draco's. "Excellent, Regina. You will prove very useful within the school. Join us, now…"

Bowing her head again, the woman strode along the table, not meeting her mother's eye and settled herself beside her nephew. Draco glanced sideways at her and she sent him a small, reassuring smile, squeezing his hand beneath the table. Then she forced her attention back to Voldemort as he began to talk.

Instead of listening, however, Regina found herself morbidly fascinated by the slowly revolving figure of a woman in the air above them, as though she were suspended by ropes. It took several revolutions before the witch realised that she knew the woman. Her stomach clenched violently as she locked eyes with Charity Burbage, Muggle Studies Professor at Hogwarts. Charity's mouth opened and closed wordlessly, silently pleading with Regina to help her. Feeling sick to her stomach, the brunette witch forced herself to look away, her fists clenching in her lap beneath the table.

"Yaxley. Snape." Voldemort greeted the two men who had just entered the room, causing Regina to snap her head round so quickly she almost cricked her neck. "You are very nearly late." As the men both bent their heads in greeting, Voldemort raised a hand. "Severus, here. Yaxley – beside Dolohov." Severus didn't glance at his best friend as he made his way to the seat Voldemort had indicated for him. Once he was settled beside the Dark Lord, the wizard spoke. "So?"

"My Lord, the Order of the Phoenix intends to move Harry Potter from his current place of safety on Saturday next, at nightfall." Severus informed him. Regina narrowed her eyes a little, knowing that the information Snape had given was correct.

"Saturday… at nightfall. Good. Very good. And this information comes–"

An expression crossed Severus' face that was somewhere between irritated and uncomfortable. "From the source we discussed."

"My Lord." Yaxley spoke up, drawing everyone's attention to him. "My Lord, I have heard differently." When there was no response to his claim, he continued. "Dawlish, the Auror, let slip that Potter will not be moved until the thirtieth, the night before the boy turns seventeen."

Severus smiled. "My source told me that there are plans to lay a false trail; this must be it. No doubt a Confundus Charm has been placed on Dawlish. It would not be the first time, he is known to be susceptible."

"I assure you, my Lord, Dawlish seemed quite certain."

"If he had been Confunded, naturally he is certain." Severus reminded them all. "I assure you, Yaxley, the Auror Office will play no further part in the protection of Harry Potter. The Order believes that we have infiltrated the Ministry."

"The Order's got one thing right, then, eh?" One of the Death Eaters, someone who had thus far escaped Regina's notice, chuckled.

"My Lord," Yaxley continued, "Dawlish believes an entire party of Aurors will be used to transfer the boy–"

"Regina? What have you heard about the matter? When will Potter be moved?"

Everyone started as the Dark Lord's gazed snapped round to the witch. Regina straightened herself in her seat, her eyes locking with his. She thought quickly; disagreeing with Severus would be dangerous for her friend, agreeing with him would be disastrous for the Order. "Severus is correct, my Lord. Potter is to be moved on Saturday."

Voldemort nodded and returned his attention to the wizard seated on his right. "Where are they going to hide the boy next?"

"At the home of one of the Order. The place, according to the source, has been given every protection that the Order and Ministry together could provide. I think that there is little chance of taking him once he is there, my Lord, unless, of course, the Ministry has fallen before next Saturday, which might give us the opportunity to discover and undo enough of the enchantments to break through the rest."

The conversation continued, back and forth, as Voldemort drew information out of his Death Eaters as to the state of the Ministry and whether luck would be on their side. Regina leant back in her chair, soaking up as much as she could to relay back to the Order on her return. When Voldemort asked for a volunteer to surrender their wand to him, Regina sat as silently as the rest, unwilling to part with her wand under any circumstances. She felt a pang of sympathy for her sister and nephew as Voldemort selected Lucius', feeling nothing for the man himself.

Regina's lip curled with distaste as Bellatrix and Cora fawned over the Dark Lord, anger sparking in her eyes as Voldemort mentioned Nymphadora's recent marriage to Remus Lupin. The witches couldn't distance themselves far enough from Andromeda and her family, claiming that none of them had set eyes on them since Andromeda had been disowned. Regina and Narcissa remained quiet, the former because it was a lie and the latter because she, given the chance, would happily reunite with her older sister.

Still fuming, Regina clenched and unclenched her fists as Voldemort drew their attention to Charity Burbage, still revolving above them. As he taunted her, the Professor called out to both Regina and Severus for help, reminding them that they were friends. The Death Eaters jeered at her desperation.

Silence fell, however, when a flash of green light accompanied his quiet utterance of the killing curse and the woman fell heavily onto the polished table top. No one spoke as Voldemort urged Nagini forward, encouraging her to feast on the corpse.

Regina left the dining room quickly once Voldemort dismissed the assembled Death Eaters. She was hoping to escape before she got caught by anyone, not wanting to be drawn into conversation, especially with her mother.

Luck was not on her side, however, as she felt a hand on her arm before she managed to completely descend the steps that led to the long walkway back to the gates. Turning sharply, she found herself looking into the dark eyes of her oldest friend. For a moment she stared blankly at him, before a sigh escaped her lips and she smiled weakly.

"Sev…"

"Come, Gina."

He took her arm gently and guided her along the gravel towards the cast iron gates. He flicked his wand expertly and they stepped through. As soon as their feet touched the ground on the other side, Severus Disapparated and Regina felt the familiar swirling sensation in her stomach that accompanied the movement.

She found herself at the end of the road that led to the small, dingy house that Severus had lived in since he was a teenager and he and his mother had finally escaped his father. Regina had been to Spinner's End many times with Severus, but never ceased to be disgusted at the state of the street. She assumed, from the numerous broken windows and boarded up doors, that Severus was the only remaining inhabitant and even he only resided there during the summer. She couldn't imagine what it would be like in the middle of winter.

Letting them into the house, Severus waved his wand and lit the oil lamps around the room, illuminating the dingy space so that they could see. Regina exhaled sharply, seeing at once that her friend hadn't been taking care of himself since she had seen him last.

"Severus, are you alright?" She asked gently as he poured each of them a generous amount of Firewhisky.

"Are you?" He shot back at once.

They gazed at each other for a moment, before smirks found their way onto both faces and the pair settled themselves in the threadbare armchairs. Silence reigned between them for a long while, as both Regina and Severus gathered their thoughts. The witch couldn't believe that her friend could have switched back to serving the Dark Lord so quickly and Severus was unsure as to where Regina's loyalties truly lay.

"Severus…" Regina started, breaking the silence. "Why did you tell them when Potter is being moved?"

"The Dark Lord requires information. If I am to be able to keep up the pretence of most faithful Death Eater, I must provide him with accurate information that allows him to achieve results."

"But… the boy?"

Severus frowned. "The Order will be informed, of course, allowing them time to prepare for attack." He glanced away quickly. "But not by me. I assume that the knowledge that it was I who killed Dumbledore has reached their ears."

"It has."

"And no doubt most are saying they always believed I was a traitor?"

Regina swallowed thickly. "They are, Sev."

He nodded sharply. "I suspected as much." Standing, he moved to refill their glasses, setting the bottle of Firewhiskey on the table between them. "It is just as well. With Dumbledore gone, you are the only one aware of my double agent role. To everyone else I am simply a murdering traitor."

"Don't, Sev." Regina pleaded quickly, shaking her head. "I can't bear it."

"You must, Regina." He ordered sharply. "For Henry's sake you must play your part well." As she stiffened at the mention of her son, Severus reached out and squeezed her hand. "You will return to Hogwarts, will you not?" Regina looked up in surprise and he smiled. "The Dark Lord wishes me to be Headmaster. There will be a few changes, but I wish you to return with me and to take the role of Head of Slytherin."

"Surely Slughorn–"

"No, the Dark Lord wants you."

"But, I…"

"You will not, however, be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts." Severus continued, ignoring her interjection. "In fact the subject itself will no longer be taught. The Dark Lord desires it to be replaced by teaching of the Dark Arts themselves. It is his wish that we teach the students how to use dark magic, rather than simply defend themselves against it."

"That is madness, Sev!" Regina exclaimed, looking horrified. She couldn't stand the thought of Henry using the type of magic that would be expected of him in such a class. "I won't do it!"

He shook his head. "I'm not asking you to. The Dark Lord has instructed Amycus Carrow to teach it. His sister is to teach the new and improved Muggle Studies curriculum."

Regina screwed up her face in disgust at the thought of the Carrow twins teaching at Hogwarts. They had been in the same year as Severus and her at school and even then there had been something disturbing about them. She shook her head.

"Severus…"

"Gina, please."

There was a long pause as she took in his expression. Then she relented. "What am I to teach?"

"Arithmancy," he replied, "and Advanced Arithmany Studies to the N.E.W.T. students who are deemed suitable."

Regina's eyes widened. "Severus!"

"Don't tell me you aren't capable, Regina. You got an Outstanding in your Advanced Arithmancy Studies N.E.W.T."

"Fine." She sighed, wafting a hand at him and draining her glass. "Fine." Then she frowned. "What about Professor Vector?"

"I… persuaded her… that she would be wise to take retirement." Severus said shiftily. Seeing his friend's glare, he shrugged. "She was lucky it was I who visited her. Others have far more unpleasant ways of persuasion."

"Who else have you persuaded to leave Hogwarts?"

"Only a few of the staff… I assured the Dark Lord it was better to keep most of them. However, certain teachers had to go. Mary Margaret Blanchard, for example." He saw the expression on Regina's face and reassured her quickly. "No harm has come to her, I assure you. But in these times it wouldn't be wise to have someone at Hogwarts whose husband is an Auror, would it?"

"So, Aurora's gone too?"

"Quite."

"Emma?"

"She is to remain as Charms Professor." He sent her a sideways look. "I assumed you would prefer that?"

Regina sighed and shook her head, not commenting on his assumption. "This won't go down well, Sev."

"I know." He agreed quietly. "But what can I do?"

Squeezing his hand, Regina rose from her seat. "Very well. I'll mention that they know about the plan to move Potter, although I won't mention where they heard it. They don't need to know that part."

"Gina… do not put yourself in a difficult position to protect me." Severus urged, following her to the front door. "I'm not worth it."

She fixed him with a hard glare, before leaning forwards and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You are to me."


	2. Chapter 2

The house was silent when Regina arrived home. She turned on the lights and called out, but received no reply from her son or Emma. With a frown, she moved through the hall and into the parlour, even more perturbed when she saw the comic Henry had been reading before she left lying discarded on the sofa.

Beginning to panic, the witch was starting to think about going to visit one of Emma's friends in order to find out whether the blonde had taken her son to see any of them, when the front door opened and the sound of laughter met her ears. Letting out a breath she hadn't completely been aware she was holding, Regina rushed out into the hall and did her best to seem nonchalant.

Taking one look at her expression, Emma and Henry both froze. Regina painted a bright smile on her face, but it didn't fool them for a second. Henry shifted nervously from one foot to the other, looking between the two women quickly.

"Oh, God, Gina… we thought we'd be back before you." Emma gushed, stepping forward and reaching out for her girlfriend. "I knew you'd worry if we weren't here when we got back."

"It's fine, dear." Regina assured her with a soft smile, looking past her to meet Henry's eyes. "Where did you go?"

"We went to The Burrow." Henry told her excitedly. "Tonks was there and she told us that–"

He was stopped abruptly as Emma grabbed him and put her hand over his mouth. "Hey, shhh, kid! Let Tonks tell your mum herself."

Raising an eyebrow at the younger woman, Regina smirked. She could guess what it was that her niece had to tell her and she smiled, pleased that someone had some good news in these dark times.

Emma let go of Henry, who frowned at her reproachfully, before darting into the parlour to collect his comic before rushing up the stairs to his bedroom. There were a couple of dull thuds and then a slamming, which indicated that Henry had reached his destination. The two women exchanged a look and then, wordlessly, headed into the parlour. Regina collapsed onto the sofa, one hand draped dramatically over her eyes, while Emma settled herself beside her, pulling her girlfriend's feet into her lap and removing her shoes.

Regina let out a low moan as Emma started rubbing her aching feet, letting her hand drop onto the seat beside her and closing her eyes. They sat in silence for a while, both enjoying their closeness.

"So, what happened?" Emma asked softly. "Was your mother there? Did she say anything?"

"She was and no she didn't." Regina informed her. "She didn't get the chance. You-Know-Who had called some kind of Death Eater meeting and Malfoy Manor was full of them."

"What did they discuss in this meeting?"

"Potter… they know he's being moved on Saturday." Regina sighed.

Emma stopped rubbing her feet at once, staring at her open-mouthed. "What?" She pushed Regina's legs off her and springing to her feet. "We've got to inform the Order."

"No, Em. We can't do that… if they think Sev was wrong…"

"What, Snape? You want to risk Potter's life for the man who murdered Dumbledore?" Emma demanded.

"He's my best friend, Emma. You know why he did it. He had no choice; Dumbledore made him go through with it."

Glaring at her for a moment, the blonde shook her head. Then she sighed and ran her hand through her hair several times. "So what do you suggest, Gina?"

"We tell them, obviously, but we convince them not to rearrange it. They can prepare themselves for attack."

"You think they'll agree to that?" Emma scoffed.

"No." Regina admitted grudgingly. "But what's the alternative? If they suddenly change their plans, who's going to be the first person they question?"

"You…"

"Exactly, Em."

They sat in contemplative silence for a while, going over all the possible, and impossible, options they could think of. Then Regina shook her head and stood up, her face set in a determined expression.

"Stay here with Henry." She ordered, striding through the door and into the hall.

Emma frowned and unfolded her legs from underneath her, almost tripping in her haste to follow the older woman. "Babe… where are you going? What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to the Burrow. I'm guessing there are lots of people around for the wedding?"

"Well, yeah." Emma agreed, looking confused. "But what–?"

"I'm going to tell them what the meeting was about." Regina informed her firmly, disappearing out into the hallway and taking her cloak off the peg beside the front door. She glanced up, guessing that Emma had followed her, proved right when her eyes landed on the blonde lounging against the doorframe she had walked through moments earlier. "They need to know as soon as possible, Emma. If it doesn't come from me… that's not going to help matters, is it? If I delay in passing on this news then the Order are going to believe that I'm keeping things from them."

"They wouldn't–" Emma tried to argue, but she was cut off by a disbelieving look from her girlfriend.

"You and I both know they would. They're looking for any excuse to say that they were justified in not trusting me."

"Not all of them…" The blonde muttered petulantly. She crossed the hallway and reached out, letting her hand settle on Regina's hip and squeezing softly. "Not everyone believes you're untrustworthy, Regina. Most of the Order would put their faith in you and are doing so. You have to believe that."

"I do, dear." She sighed deeply. "I do."

Shaking her head, the blonde stepped backwards. "No, you don't. You don't trust yourself."

"Really?" Regina arched an eyebrow. "You'd better hope, for all our sakes, that I have more faith in myself than you believe or we're all in danger."

Turning on her heels, the witch strode through the front door and down the gravel driveway. As soon as she passed the invisible boundary that marked the edge of her land she Disapparated in a swirl of black smoke. Seconds later she appeared in the middle of a field. Unperturbed by the familiar surroundings, so different from those she had left behind, the woman strode confidently towards the house, her mind full of the information she need to relay.

"Regina!"

She was barely in earshot of the building when she heard her name being called. Standing in the open doorway, silhouetted against the light coming from inside, was a familiar figure. She didn't need to be able to see the woman's face to know that Molly Weasley had spotted her approaching and, no doubt, had put the kettle on the stove immediately.

"Molly." Regina greeted her warmly, allowing herself to be pulled into a tight hug. Despite the fact that there were only about ten years between them, there was something maternal about Molly that made Regina want to cling to her as though she was still a child.

Ushering her into the house, Mrs Weasley ran an appraising eye over the younger woman, muttering about Regina not taking care of herself. She ignored all protests that were sent her way, claiming that she doubted the brunette had eaten a decent meal in days. Putting her hands on Regina's shoulders, Molly applied enough pressure to cause her to sit heavily on one of the chairs at the kitchen table. There was no time to protest before a steaming cup of tea was pressed into one hand and a still-warm Cauldron Cake was deposited on the table in front of her.

"Mol–"

"I'm trying to perfect the recipe before Fleur's family arrive for the wedding." The older woman told her, moving away and picking up the mixing bowl she had abandoned on the side when the alert had gone off to say someone had Apparated in the vicinity. "What do you think? A dash more cinnamon?"

"No, it's good." Regina told her, almost choking as she swallowed her mouthful to reply. "Really good. But I need to–"

"Are you sure? They need to be perfect. Have another, just to be sure."

Not having much choice in the matter, the brunette accepted the second cake with a smile. It was no mystery to her why Henry was eager to visit The Burrow whenever he was given the option. As Molly continued to chat away happily, filling her in on the latest arrangements and dramas surrounding her eldest son's upcoming wedding, Regina did her best to break in and pass on her own information.

"Ahhh! Regina! Lovely to see you, as always." Arthur's arrival in the kitchen momentarily broke his wife's monologue and she frowned at him, irritated by the interruption. "What brings you to our humble abode?"

"Mum! Bill said that–" One of the twins, Regina was never sure which was which, burst through the back door and stopped abruptly at the sight of the woman at the table. "Oh, sorry…"

"It's quite alright." Regina assured him with a warm smile that apparently worried him more than her presence in his home. "I have information; important information." When both adult Weasleys fixed her with a curious gaze and neither attempted to interrupt, she continued. "I've just returned from a meeting that You-Know-Who called at Malfoy Manor. They know about the Order's plan to move Potter on Saturday."

"How?" Molly breathed.

Her husband held up a hand. "George, go and get Remus and Tonks."

As the young man vanished back out through the kitchen door, his father turned a serious eye on the brunette. She shifted slightly uneasily under his gaze, uncrossing and re-crossing her legs in an attempt to hide her nervousness.

"Molly, Arthur, I–"

The older woman smiled at her, settling herself in the chair beside Regina's and reaching out to pat her hand. "We know, dear. Believe me, this time last year you are one of the last people I would have expected to say this to, but I trust you. You're taking a huge risk playing both sides of this war and I know that you've got just as much to lose as the rest of us."

"Thank you." Regina murmured softly, genuine gratitude shining through her expression.

None of them said anything else, simply exchanging reassuring smiles, until the door opened once more and Remus and Tonks almost crashed through with Ruby Lucas and her Grandmother on their heels. The young Metamorphmagus all but fell on her aunt, wrapping her in a tight hug and pressing a kiss to the side of her head. As Tonks opened her mouth to speak, her husband cut across her.

"Regina, you have news for us?"

"Yes." She nodded, leaning forwards and resting her elbows on the surface of the table. "The Death Eaters have managed to infiltrate the Ministry. They know about the plan to move Potter on Saturday and they're aware that the Order intends to keep him at the home of someone in their ranks, but they don't know that it will be here."

"But Dawlish–"

"They guessed that he had been subjected to the Confundus Charm and didn't take his information seriously. It is well known that he is susceptible." Regina said with a shrug. "Apparently they have a more reliable source."

"And this source is…?"

"I don't know."

"And who passed on the information from this reliablesource?"

She sighed. "Remus…"

"Was it Severus?"

"He's not–"

"I know you want to believe he's trustworthy, Aunt Gi, but he's proved otherwise." Tonks pointed out gently. "He killed Dumbledore. He betrayed us all."

Knowing that there was no point arguing with them, Regina simply bit her lips together and said nothing. She nodded slowly as the other six launched into a discussion about what to do for the best. She could understand their reluctance to see past the outward appearances of what had happened that night, but it was physically painful to her to hear them being so dismissive and negative about her best friend, especially when she was the only one who really knew the whole truth.

"Maybe we should change the plan completely?" Molly suggested looking between the members of the Order who were assembled in her kitchen. "Perhaps Harry should stay at Regina's? That's the last place they'd expect to find him."

"What?" The woman in question choked out, unable to believe what she'd heard. "I don't think–"

"No." Remus shook his head. "We've got things in place now. With all the protection we're focusing here he'll be perfectly safe as soon as he crosses the perimeter."

"Besides, it's not out of the question that someone might turn up at Aunt Gina's house; Cora or Bellatrix, maybe." Tonks added seriously.

Relieved, her aunt nodded. "They're right."

"No, we have to focus our energies on getting Harry here safely." Remus continued, rubbing his chin. "We have the advantage of knowing that they know when we plan to move him, we can work with that."

"I agree with Remus." Mrs Lucas nodded her head in her grandson's direction. "We need to concentrate on protecting the boy during the journey. We know that this place will be like a fortress by the time he arrives."

"So what do we do?" Molly asked, looking between them worriedly. "Do we change the day?"

"I'll call a meeting… Kingsley and Mad Eye should be involved in this discussion."

Standing quickly, Regina smiled around. "I should be going. I just wanted to let you know as soon as possible"

"Thank you."

"You are coming to the wedding, aren't you?" Molly questioned her sharply, looking as though there was no way she'd take no for an answer.

"Of course. Emma and Henry are incredibly excited." She laughed softly, her fondness for the pair shining through her expression.

"Aunt Gi?" Tonks called, rushing after the woman as she headed out into the cool evening air, intending to cross the boundary and Apparate away. "I… I've got some news."

"Yes, dear?"

The young woman beamed. "I'm pregnant."

Regina wrapped her in a tight hug. "Congratulations, my darling. I'm so pleased for you."

"Really?"

"Of course?" She looked confused. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Tonks shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself. "It's just… most people are so worried about what might be happening that they think… they think we should have waited. It's not as if I planned–"

Smiling wryly, her aunt gripped her biceps and gave them a reassuring squeeze. "Listen to me, Tonks. In times like these everyone needs something good to look forward to. What could be better than the birth of a child? Besides, dear, this means that you will have to be more careful than you usually are which sets my mind, not to mention everyone else's, at ease."

"Are you calling me reckless, Aunt Gi?" The younger woman joked weakly.

"Of course not!" Regina replied sarcastically. Then she smiled softly. "I do worry about you, you know, dear."

With a growl, her niece stamped her foot, taking Regina back at least fifteen years. Her hair turned a flaming shade of red, matching the scowl on her face. "Why don't you let anyone else see this side of you?" She demanded. "You're one of the kindest, loyalist, bravest witches I know and yet it's a constant battle for me to make people trust you!"

"It suits me this way." The brunette informed her calmly, running her hand affectionately through the flaming red locks in front of her, almost surprised that they weren't hot to the touch. "Keeping people at arm's length… it's safer for them. If I have to convince my mother and Bella that I'm working on the same side as them… I refuse to drag more people into this mess with me. You, Henry and Emma… you're being put in danger just by the fact you trust me implicitly. Everyone else… they're wise to remain cautious."

"But–"

"Perhaps one day, once all of this is over, things will be different." Regina reasoned. "Perhaps there will be a time when you and I can stroll down Diagon Alley together and not worry about who is watching us. But now is not that time, Tonks. These are difficult and dangerous times and we, all of us, need to accept our roles for the time being." She smiled. "Don't defend me too ardently, dear. While I appreciate it, I would rather you concentrate on your own safety for now."


	3. Chapter 3

"Regina?"

The brunette closed her eyes and leant back against the front door, gathering her strength before moving into the parlour to greet her girlfriend. She knew Emma would have a lot of questions, considering Regina had only told her the bare minimum before disappearing off to The Burrow. The blonde wasn't exactly known for her patience and Regina guessed that the only reason that she hadn't been followed across the country to the Weasleys' was that Henry would otherwise have been left alone in the house.

"Have you seen this?" Emma asked, holding something out in her direction as soon as she entered the room.

Regina blinked at the paper held aloft and shook her head, quickly crossing the space between them and dropping down onto the sofa. She scanned the text hastily, taking in the headline before frowning and skimming through the article it was attached to.

**DUMBLEDORE ¨THE TRUTH AT LAST?"**

**Coming next week, the shocking story of the flawed genius considered by many to be the greatest wizard of his generation. Striping away the popular image of serene, silver-bearded wisdom, Rita Skeeter reveals the disturbed childhood, the lawless youth, the life-long feuds, and the guilty secrets that Dumbledore carried to his grave, WHY was the man tipped to be the Minister of Magic content to remain a mere headmaster? WHAT was the real purpose of the secret organization known as the Order of the Phoenix? HOW did Dumbledore really meet his end?**

**The answers to these and many more questions are explored in the explosive new biography, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore, by Rita Skeeter, exclusively interviewed by Berry Braithwaite, page 13, inside.**

"What in Merlin's name…" Regina breathed. She flicked through until she found the interview and read it quickly, her brows furrowing more and more with every word she read. When she had finished, she looked up at Emma, open-mouthed. "That woman…"

"It's a pack of lies!" Emma raged, ripping the Daily Prophet from Regina's grip and leaping off the seat. She started to pace around the parlor like a caged animal. "Anyone who knew Dumbledore will see through that in a second!"

"Exactly, dear." Her girlfriend agreed. "Anyone who knew Dumbledore will. Anyone else… it hardly matters what they think."

"That's not the point! He can't defend himself, can he?"

"Do you think he would have attempted to?" Regina asked, arching an eyebrow. "Would Dumbledore not have simply found it amusing, shrugged it off and pointed out that we have more important, more pressing, matters to concentrate on? I hardly think that some highly fabricated, laughable slander campaign by a woman, who is well-known to be more interested in lining her own pockets than anything else, is going to do much to tarnish Dumbledore's name."

Emma stared at her for a moment, as though trying to process her words. Then she sighed and shrugged, flinging the paper down on the table. "You're right."

"Of course I am, dear."

Letting out a long breath, apparently releasing her tension with it, Emma returned to the sofa and curled her legs up underneath her. "So, how did it go at The Burrow?"

"As expected." Regina informed her with a slight sniff. "I assume Dora informed you that she is pregnant?"

"Yeah…" Emma pulled a face. "Kinda bad timing, isn't it?"

"I don't see why. It's one tiny glimmer of light in all of this darkness. Besides, as I informed her, she'll have to be more careful from now on, which can only be a good thing where my terrifyingly reckless niece is concerned."

"How did they react to the news that the Death Eaters know about the plan?"

"How do you think they reacted?" Regina asked, arching an eyebrow. "But they've decided not to alter things too drastically. Potter will still be moved on Saturday and taken to The Burrow. It was suggested, momentarily, that he was brought here. Luckily that idea was thoroughly quashed…" She caught the expression on Emma's face and rolled her eyes. "It would hardly be sensible, dear. My mother or Bella or any of them could drop round at any time. Potter can hardly be stored away in a cupboard, can he? Hiding you is already enough of a challenge."

"I keep telling you that you don't need to hide me away from your family." Emma argued. "I can handle myself. If they try anything–"

"I'm not having this argument with you again."

Regina sent her a look, which clearly said that the subject was closed to further discussion. They'd had the same conversation many times since the start of the summer and both women were growing weary of it. Emma was adamant that she wouldn't be hidden away from Regina's family or kept a secret, whatever their reactions might be. Regina, on the other hand, was loathed to let her mother or elder sister discover her relationship with the blonde, knowing what would happen if they did. So far, none of her family had attempted to visit the house and so discovery hadn't been a problem. Now, though, Regina was worried that her presence at Malfoy Manor would cause that to change.

They sat in silence for a while longer as they often did recently, each caught up in their own thoughts. While Regina plucked absent-mindedly at the threads in the throw over the sofa, Emma chewed the skin around her thumbnails. Neither of them heard anything until Henry entered the parlour and cleared his throat to attract their attention.

"Henry…" Regina pulled herself together quickly and smiled at him. "Sorry, dear, we were miles away."

"An owl came for Emma…" The boy said, crossing the room and holding out a scroll of parchment. "It's from Professor Blanchard. I recognised her owl." He added quickly, seeing the questioning looks from both women. "I didn't read it!"

"I never thought you did." Emma assured him with a fond smile. "Thanks kid."

She held out her hand and accepted the scroll. Henry hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to leave, but his mother reached out and patted the seat beside her, craving contact with him after the evening she'd endured. While Emma read her letter, Regina and Henry chatted about his day and discussed what they thought Tonks was going to have and what the couple would name their child.

"Did you know about this?" Emma demanded suddenly, scowling at her girlfriend and brandishing the letter in her direction angrily.

"Did I know about what, dear?"

"Snape is the new Hogwarts Headmaster!"

"I was made aware of that fact earlier, yes." Regina agreed cagily.

"And he's sacked Mary Margaret and Rory?"

"Again, yes."

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

Regina clenched her jaw. "It wasn't the most pressing matter on my mind, no." She glanced sideways at Henry, who was looking between them interestedly. "Henry, go upstairs, please."

"But I want to hear!"

"Now!"

With a huff of indignation, the fourteen-year-old did as he was ordered, slamming the door and stamping his way up to his bedroom. They waited until they heard the tell tale sound of his bedroom door closing before continuing their heated exchange.

"How am I supposed to trust you when you don't tell me things!" Emma snarled. "I defend you and defend you to everyone else and then you keep things from me!"

"I keep things from you? Emma! I hardly think staffing changes at Hogwarts are a top priority for the Order at the moment!"

"Really? Because letting He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his followers control our children's education isn't important?"

Regina was taken aback as the reality of the situation sank in. She hadn't really given much thought to what having the Carrows at Hogwarts would mean before now, too caught up in passing on the rest of the information to the Order and focusing on protecting Emma and Henry from her family.

"I never…"

"You didn't think."

"Severus won't–"

"Won't what, Regina?" Emma demanded, putting her hands on her hips. "Won't let anything happen to the students? Won't let You-Know-Who dictate what happens at Hogwarts? Who are you trying to fool? Severus Snape is a traitor and a Death Eater. He lied to you… he lied to all of us. He killed Dumbledore. As soon as you get that into your head the better."

"You don't understand!"

"I understand perfectly. Once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater."

Silence fell over the room as the couple stared at each other. Emma looked as though she wished she could swallow her words, but they hung in the air between them like a toxic gas. Her lips moved wordlessly as she searched for something that would make the anguished expression on Regina's face disappear, but there was nothing she could possibly say that would do that. It had been said and no amount of apologising or backtracking could take it away.

"If that's how you feel…"

"Regina, I… I didn't mean…"

"No, Emma. I understand." Regina turned away in an attempt to keep the coldness in her tone. "I think you should leave."

"Wha– Regina? Please, I–"

"Now, Ms Swan. Get your things and get out."

For a moment there was silence, as though Emma was preparing to argue, but then Regina heard a defeated sigh from behind her. Footsteps headed towards the door and the familiar low creak signalled that she was alone in the room once more. Until Emma had really left she was not free to show her true emotions, so Regina fell back on her defensive haughtiness to mask how she really felt.

The sound of low conversation from above her let the woman know that Emma was telling Henry what was going on. Squeezing her eyes shut, Regina knew that she would have to deal with his upset and anger as soon as the blonde had gone. It was selfish of Emma, she thought angrily, to no doubt be piling the blame completely on her shoulders.

A soft knock on the door forced Regina to school her features into a look of contempt once more and she whirled around to face the blonde. Emma blinked, taken aback by the almost vicious hostility on the face she knew so well, but she didn't comment on it.

"I'm going… I'll be at The Burrow if… be careful."

It was on the tip of Regina's tongue to return the sentiment, but then she bit it back, knowing that showing concern would just make matters worse. Instead she simply nodded stiffly and turned her back on the younger woman. She listened out for the sound of the front door closing and, when it did, she was unsurprised to hear footsteps on the stairs.

"Mom?" Henry flew into the parlour like a hurricane. "What's going on? Why's Emma leaving?"

"We had a disagreement, Henry. Ms Swan revealed her true feelings and said something that can never be taken back."

"She said she upset you, but I…"

Regina was surprised, having expected Emma to make out that she had acted irrationally. "She did, Henry, but I… She made me realise the truth about this whole situation."

"What d'you mean?"

"Come here." She held out her hand and led him over to the sofa, settling them side-by-side and brushing his hair off his face gently. "You, Henry, are much safer here with me. I can protect you from whatever might be coming. Ms Sw– Emma is not. Being here with me, us, was putting her in far more danger. What she said made me realise that."

"So you sent her away for her own good?"

"I did." Regina agreed.

"So if you tell her that, she'll understand."

Hastily the witch shook her head, clasping his hands almost desperately. "No, Henry. She won't understand at all. Emma doesn't know your grandmother or Aunt Bella, other than by reputation and I want to keep it that way. Emma believes that she can defend herself from them or that, at the very least, she can hide from them."

"But they'd kill her… like my dad."

She nodded sadly. "I'm sorry, dear. I know you're fond of her."

"So are you."

Regina chuckled. "I am."

"This is so unfair!" He raged suddenly, clenching his fists and turning to his mother with eyes that were so fill of emotion that she nearly cried. "Why do they always have to ruin everything for you. I hate them! I hate all of them! Grandmother, Aunt Bella, Aunt Cissy, Draco… they're all the same!" Taken aback by the naturally calm boy's fury, all his mother could do was stare at him. "I'll kill them… if they try to hurt you, I'll kill them."

She grabbed his shoulders, her fingers digging into his flesh. "No. No, Henry, you won't. I won't let them destroy you like that."

"They destroyed you."

"Perhaps." Regina conceded, smiling wryly. "But that isn't the point. I'm your mother and it's my job to protect you. You're all I've got."

"And you're all I've got, Mom." Henry pointed out calmly. "So I'm going to protect you, whatever you say."

Pulling him into her arms, Regina held onto her son tightly. He embraced her just as firmly, refusing to let go even when she attempted to break away. A smile covered her face as he mumbled into her hair, begging her to stay still just a little longer.

When they eventually broke apart, she sent him up to bed with the promise that everything would be alright. Both of them knew that it was a promise she couldn't make; there was no way of knowing what would happen over the coming days, weeks and months. But it was all they had to hold on to and Regina knew that she would keep promising Henry that everything would be OK, either until it was or until she couldn't make any more promises at all.

* * *

A couple of days later, the Mills' were enjoying a leisurely breakfast together. It was the one part of the day that they were really relaxed, before the reality of the times they were living in came back to them and anxiety and stress set in once more. Regina was flicking lazily through a copy of the Daily Prophet, snorting with disbelieving amusement at most of the articles, while Henry re-read one of his comics and shovelled pancakes into his mouth.

A soft tap at the window alerted both of them to the arrival of an owl and Regina moved to let it in. No sooner had she untied the parchment from around its ankle than the bird swooped away.

"Who's it from?" Henry asked eagerly, before his mother had even had the chance to unroll it.

"Aunt Dromeda…" Regina informed him, frowning slightly as she read over the words her sister had written. "It seems that Potter made it safely to The Burrow last night."

"That's good." Henry grinned.

"Yes… but… Dromeda says that according to Dora, Mad-Eye Moody is dead and George Weasley lost an ear."

"What? How? Death Eaters?" When his mother simply nodded in agreement, chewing her thumbnail thoughtfully, he shifted in his seat. "Are we still going to the wedding?"

"Hmmm?"

"Bill and Fleur's wedding? Are we still going?"

"Oh…" Regina frowned, having forgotten all about it. "No, I don't think… You may go, Henry, of course. But I don't think I will."

"What is it?"

"What is what, dear?"

Henry stood up and attempted to pluck the letter from her grip. "What haven't you told me?"

"Nothing!" Regina deftly moved the parchment out of his reach.

"Mom!"

"Bellatrix attempted to kill Dora… she… according to Dromeda, Dora was very lucky to survive."

"But… Tonks is Aunt Bella's niece!" Henry pointed out needlessly. "I know she's… but I never thought…"

Regina shook her head. "They're dangerous, Henry. Never, ever underestimate them. Family means nothing to mother or Bella when it's set against what they believe. If they knew… if they knew that I… they would kill me without a second thought."

"That's not going to happen, Mom."

She smiled weakly at him, grateful for his positivity. Drawing out her wand, she tapped the letter from her sister and it burst into flames. There was no point keeping it and tempting fate. If her mother or Bella saw it then they would realise that Regina wasn't on their side at all.

Clearing up the kitchen while her son disappeared off to his bedroom, the witch made up her mind that she couldn't put off carrying out the decision she had made several weeks previously any longer. With things growing more and more dangerous, Regina had realised that she needed to make arrangements about what would happen to Henry if she was killed. While she knew that Emma would probably be keen to look after her son, Regina thought asking Molly Weasley to take him in might be a better idea. The blonde had almost no idea about how to raise a child and, while she knew that Emma would do her best, it wouldn't be fair to turn her life upside down like that.

Casting extra protection enchantments on the house, Regina hurriedly Disapparated and found herself standing and staring at the wonky house that would perhaps, one day, be the place her son called home.


	4. Chapter 4

Straightening his dress robes for about the twelfth time, Regina forced herself to stand back and let Henry breathe. He arched an eyebrow at her, swatting her hands away as they moved to smooth down his hair.

"Mom!" He complained. Then he looked at her carefully. "Are you sure you're not coming to the wedding?"

"Certain, dear."

"But what if something happens? I mean, all those members of the Order in one place…"

She chuckled. "That's why I'm not worried, dear. I'm sure they'll be able to handle you."

"Actually, I meant what if the Death Eaters target it?"

"I know that's what you meant, Henry." Regina assured him with a sigh. "If anything happens, stick close to Tonks or… well, any of the Order. But I doubt it'll be an issue. If there was anything planned Severus would have contacted me."

"Would he?" Henry demanded darkly.

"Of course he would. Uncle Sev knows that you will be there and he would never allow harm to come to you."

Still looking unconvinced, Henry glanced in the mirror once more, before turning to face his mother. "Ready?"

She nodded and led the way outside. Taking his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze she Disapparated, transporting them across the country to the building where Bill and Fleur were getting married. As much as she was loathed to get close enough to risk bumping into anyone, Regina wasn't willing to risk her son being on his own as they approached the house.

Keeping her eyes on the uneven ground, Regina kept pace with Henry, listening to him chattering excitedly about the upcoming wedding. He kept mentioning various treats that Mrs Weasley had been perfecting over the last couple of weeks, promising that he would sneak some of them home for her to sample. Regina chuckled, thanking him and shaking her head at his ability to forget the dark cloud that was hovering over all of them in the face of the promise of Cauldron Cakes and Pumpkin Tart and No Melt Ice Cream.

He rushed ahead as they neared The Burrow and Mrs Weasley, dressed in what appeared to be brand new Amethyst coloured robes, opened the door apparently having spotted them coming. She patted Henry on the cheek and moved aside so that he could go past her into the house.

"Thank you, Molly." Regina said, smiling weakly. "Please give my congratulations to Bill and Fleur."

"I don't see why you won't stay." The older woman replied bluntly, sighing. "Your invitation wasn't dependant on Emma, you know."

"I know that… I just… I don't think it's a good idea."

"Don't you even want to stay for Henry's sake?" Molly tried a different tack. Regina was touched that the woman seemed to want her there, but she refused to change her mind. "To make sure he's safe?"

"I trust you to look after my son." Regina assured her with a smile. "Otherwise I wouldn't have asked you to take him in if anything happens to me."

Molly looked uncomfortable. "You are alright, aren't you?"

"Of course."

"Nothing's happened, has it? I mean… of course I'm happy to take Henry if needs be, but… have you any reason to think it will?"

"Nothing is guaranteed, is it?" Regina pointed out. "When I heard about the night Potter was moved and how hard Bella tried to kill Dora… it just made me realise that I had to do something to ensure Henry is taken care if. If my mother or Bella even suspect that I am working with the Order then things will get very unpleasant indeed." She glanced around quickly, before raising the sleeve of her top slightly to reveal the mark tattooed onto the skin of her left forearm. "This has been burning more and more… I will have to respond soon, before I anger them too much. Perhaps I will visit mother today, while Henry is safely out of the way."

"Gina… don't do anything rash." Molly cautioned, reaching out and rubbing her upper arm gently.

"I won't."

As voices from behind Molly reached their ears, Regina dragged her sleeve hastily back into place and folded her arms across her chest. The door, which had been pulled closed, was wrenched open and the brunette found herself face-to-face with her ex-girlfriend. Emma seemed just as thrown by the meeting as Regina was, but she was unable to cover it up as well.

"Emma."

"R-Regina… I… I didn't know you'd be…"

"I'm not." The older witch assured her, smiling tightly. "I was just dropping Henry off." She glanced over Emma's outfit, feeling her heart clench painfully in her chest. "You look beautiful."

The blonde blushed and fiddled with the clutch bag in her hands. It was a deep blue that went well with the lighter, sky blue colour of her dress. The dress itself was fitted and clung in all the right places. The neckline plunged, although not indecently, its edge encrusted with tiny jewels that sparkled in the light. Regina had to clench her hands at her sides to resist the urge to sweep one of Emma's long blonde curls away from her face.

"Err… thanks?" Emma clearly didn't know what to do with the compliment. "I was just… you're wanted in the marquee, Molly."

"Right." A look of distinct panic set in on the redheaded witch's face and she retreated into the house without even saying goodbye.

"Well, I'll… I'll be off." Regina said simply. "Enjoy the wedding. Pass on my congratulations to the happy couple. I'll come and collect Henry later."

Not waiting for Emma to reply, she turned on her heels and began striding back across the grassy expanse to the boundary of the Weasleys' land where she would be able to Disapparate. Regina had known that she would probably bump into Emma, fate seemed determined to inflict pain on her, but she didn't know what she had been expecting. It had definitely been more painful than she had imagined.

Deciding to bite the bullet the witch Apparated, not to her own home but to the home of her mother. She was under no illusions that she could end up in a great deal more pain than she was already feeling, but part of Regina was hoping that that would be the case. The pain that her mother and sister could inflict on her would, at least, go some way to erasing the pain that she had inflicted on herself through her almost callous dismissal of Emma.

She could almost feel the eyes watching her as she strode confidently up the long driveway to the front of her mother's home. The stone pillars on either side of the doorway felt as though they were pressing in on her, fencing her in so that she couldn't escape while she waited for the ring of the doorbell to be answered.

"Well, well, well!" Bellatrix singsonged opening the door and smirking at her youngest sister. "Look what the thestrals dragged in."

"Bella." Regina nodded, stepping past her and into the shadowy hallway of the manor house. "How are you?"

"Excited!"

A shadow of terror flashed over Regina's face as she wondered just why her sister was excited, but her mother's voice from the darkened doorway that led to the parlour prevented Bellatrix from saying anything more.

"Regina. Come in."

Glancing at her with a grin, Bellatrix led the way to the room where their mother was waiting. Cora was sitting in her chair in front of the fire, looking as poised and regal as ever. She didn't make any attempt to stand in greeting, simply indicating that the younger witch should take the armchair closest to hers. Warily, Regina did as she was bid, perching on the edge of the seat and waiting for her mother to speak first.

"How are you, my darling? How is Henry? Is he not with you?"

"No, Mother. He is visiting a friend."

"A shame." Cora replied. "But no matter. Perhaps this is better."

Regina frowned in confusion. "Better?"

"I'm glad you visited." The witch said, rising from her seat and walking over to the mantelpiece. She retrieved a scroll of parchment and unfurled it quickly. "You can make yourself useful, for once."

"Useful? How?"

"There is to be a wedding this afternoon. Most of the Order of the Phoenix, along with the Potter boy and a great many blood traitors, will be there." Cora said, causing the blood to turn to ice in Regina's veins. "The Dark Lord wishes to make the most of their distraction by finally taking over the Ministry."

"Finally… how?"

"As we speak the ranks are descending on the Ministry, ready to kill that sad, pathetic excuse for a Minister of Magic and gain control."

"Who is to take his place?" Regina asked, attempting to sound more interested than worried.

"Someone who will do the Dark Lord's bidding and restore wizards to their rightful position."

"You said I could be helpful?"

Cora smirked. "Once the Ministry has fallen, the enchantments that surround the location of the wedding will be broken. It will be a perfect opportunity to target them or, at least, cause maximum panic."

"Mother…" Regina felt physically sick. "It's…"

"It's brilliant." Cora said, ignoring how pale her daughter had gone. "Bella and I are to go to the Ministry when we receive word that it has fallen and you, my darling, are to finally prove yourself by going to the home of those blood traitors the Weasleys." She replaced the parchment on the mantelpiece and smiled at her daughter. "Rodolphus and Antonin will be here soon to accompany you."

"Accom– Mother! I don't need accompanying!"

"You do, Regina, until you earn my trust." Cora informed her coldly. She crossed the floor and cupped her daughter's face, squeezing more firmly than was necessary. "Do me proud, Regina. Make them beg and plead for their lives. Make them cry when they know the end is coming. Make them regret being traitors to their blood."

Feeling as though she was about to be sick, Regina was afforded a reprise when the parlour door opened and two men, dressed in long, black cloaks stepped inside. The witch needed no introduction to them, being able to recognise her brother-in-law and his closest accomplice anywhere.

"Regina, looking beautiful as always." Dolohov told her smarmily. The woman winced internally as his eyes roved over her before they flicked towards Cora and he bowed his head deferentially. "You too, Cora."

"Oh, Antonin." The older Mills smirked, her eyes remaining hard and dangerous. "If only you were not already married you could take this one off my hands."

"But, alas, I am... for now." He replied with a grin.

Regina shuddered. "Shall we go?"

"Here…" Cora handed her a cloak and a mask, which her daughter took gratefully. There was no way she wanted to be recognised. "Remember what I said, Regina."

Nodding, the woman followed Rodolphus and Dolohov out of the house and back down the driveway. She didn't speak, refusing to answer them when they addressed her. Her mind was whirring, wondering how on earth she could make this situation better. There was no backing out of it; if nothing else she couldn't stand idly by and allow the Death Eaters to descend on Bill and Fleur's wedding. There was, however, no way she could provide them with advance warning about the attack.

An involuntary cry was ripped from her lips as a searing pain in her arm brought her back to reality and she realised that it was her Dark Mark burning. It was signalling that the Ministry had fallen and Voldemort was in control.

"We go." Dolohov muttered.

* * *

The wedding had been beautiful. Fleur seemed to be giving off some kind of pheromone that made everything around her glow and shimmer more brightly than seemed possible. Henry, who had latched himself on to Emma, beamed up at the blonde delightedly as the couple said their vows. She nudged him with her shoulder, suddenly sad as she met the boy's eyes and she remembered what she could have had with his mother.

As the party entered full swing, Henry asked Emma to dance. He didn't like the way Viktor Krum was eyeing her up and was determined to keep the Quidditch Player away from the woman he thought of as his stepmother. Emma, although she knew exactly what Henry was doing, didn't comment and allowed him to clumsily whirl her around the dance floor until they were both laughing and breathless.

Waving off his suggestion that they stay on the floor for another song, Emma collapsed heavily into a seat at the same table as Ron Weasley was sitting at, glaring out towards where Hermione Granger was chatting to the young man Henry was so keen to keep her away from.

"You alright, kid?" Emma asked knowingly, resting her chin on her hand.

Ron jumped. "Err… yes, thank you, Professor Swan. Are you enjoying the wedding?"

"It's Emma, out of school." She told him firmly, moving her gaze over to where Henry was now dancing with Luna Lovegood, looking a little embarrassed at her flamboyant style of movement. "And yes, I am. Are you?" He shrugged. Then he tilted his head and looked at her as though there was something he wanted to say, but wasn't sure whether he should. "Spit it out."

"What?"

"Whatever it is you want to say."

The teenager went crimson. "I just… I was wondering… why isn't Professor Mills here?"

Emma glanced away, chewing the inside of her cheek. "She couldn't make it."

"So… it's not because she's…"

"She's what?" Emma demanded. "You think she's what?"

"I just…" Ron looked as though he wanted the ground to swallow him up. "I heard Mum and Tonks talking about… Tonks said you told Professor Mills… she said you said once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater, so I just wondered…"

"We were talking about someone else… Snape." The witch informed him angrily. "Regina is not a Death Eater."

"Right. Sorry, I just… sorry."

Angrily, Emma stood up and walked away, needing some air. She wasn't really angry at the teenager for his assumption or the clumsy way he had gone about asking her about what he'd heard. She was angrier with herself for saying it to Regina in the first place. Emma hadn't meant it; it had been a heat of the moment comment that had just slipped out. In fact, she reasoned, she hadn't been talking about Regina at all, although that didn't help matters.

As she leant against the canvas wall of the marquee, something large and silver came floating towards her and she froze. Emma recognised the shape instantly as Kingsley's Patronus. As the silvery lynx glided through the air beside her and into the tent, the witch spun on her heels and pushed through the canopy to follow it back inside.

"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming." Kingsley's deep, slow voice broke through the shocked silence.

For a couple of beats no one moved. The Patronus faded silently and, as soon as all traces of it had vanished, all hell broke loose. There was a scream and everyone seemed to realise what the lynx Patronus had told them.

Emma whipped out her wand, turning in a circle and looking for Henry in the panicked crowd. She spotted him right in the centre of the dance floor and ran towards him, pushing people aside in her haste to reach him. Grasping him firmly by the arm, she started dragging him towards the exit of the marquee.

"Get into the house!" She ordered. "Now!"

"But–"

"Now, Henry!" Emma repeated, herding him in the direction of the building. She wasn't the only one with that idea and other underage witches and wizards who had attended the wedding seemed to be being shepherded in that direction too. "Go!"

With many of the guests Disapparating, Emma guessed that the protective enchantments that had been placed on The Burrow had been broken. Her eyes roved around the crowds and she was unsurprised to see figures in dark cloaks and masks appearing among the guests.

" _Protego_!" The blonde shouted, raising her wand to defend herself as a jet of light shot in her direction. " _Stupefy_!"

Not stopping to see whether her spell had met it's mark, the witch turned and aimed her wand at the house behind her, mumbling protection charms to prevent any of the Death Eaters gaining access. Then she began moving through the panicking crowd, looking for other members of the Order.

As more and more of the guests Disapparated and the number of people in the fight thinned considerably it was easier to see what was going on. Emma zoned in on a Death Eater standing a little way off, apparently only half-heartedly throwing out stunning spells, charging towards them recklessly.

" _Stupefy_!" She shouted, aiming the stunning spell at the figure who easily blocked it with little more than a flick of their wand. " _Impedimenta_! _Stupefy_!" As each of her spells was blocked, but the Death Eater did nothing to retaliate, Emma grew more and more frustrated. "Come on!"

" _Crucio_!"

A voice from somewhere off to her left uttered the incantation for the Cruciatus Curse but, before Emma could turn and see where it had come from, let alone attempt to defend herself, the figure she had been attacking raised its wand and made a slashing motion. The Death Eater who had attempted to curse her screamed and crumpled, blood spurting from their chest.

"Emma!" The blonde turned as Killian came flying across the ground to her side, putting a hand on her waist and looking at her in concern. "Are you alright, love?"

"I'm fine! I–" She turned abruptly, but the Death Eater who had protected her had gone.


	5. Chapter 5

Regina was shaking like a leaf as she sprinted out of sight, leaning heavily against the wall of a tin structure a little way away from where the main battle was taking place. She scrabbled at the mask covering her face and yanked it off, dropping it to the ground just in time to double over as the contents of her stomach forced itself up her throat.

Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, the witch moved a little further along the wall and even more out of sight. Regina slid slowly to the ground, wrapping her arms around her legs and resting her forehead on her knees. She hadn't minded Emma throwing spells at her and was even slightly amused by how rattled the blonde had become when she had defended herself with seemingly minimal effort; after duelling practise with her mother and sisters, nothing Emma could throw at her would compare. But when Oratius Parge had appeared and attempted to cast the Cruciatus Curse on the younger woman she had reacted instinctively, defending Emma without a second thought.

" _Expelliarmus_!"

Feeling her wand sail out of her hand, Regina's head shot up and she leapt to her feet, suddenly very aware that she was defenceless. Tonks' mouth dropped open as she regarded her aunt, who raised her open hands into the air as a sign of defeat.

"Aunt Gi… what are you…?"

"Are you alright?" Regina demanded, stepping forward and ignoring her niece's question. She looked her over quickly for obvious signs of injury. When it was clear that the younger witch was unharmed, the brunette let out a sigh of relief and hugged her tightly. "Dora, I… is everyone else alright?"

"Other than that Death Eater you just destroyed…" Tonks told her, arching an eyebrow. "What's going on? What was that curse?"

" _Sectumsempra_ … Severus invented it when we were at school." Regina admitted quietly, glancing over her shoulder as though she expected to see someone creeping up on her. "I couldn't let Parge hurt Emma."

"I don't understand. Why are you here… dressed like that?"

"Not through choice, I assure you." The older woman muttered. "I thought that a visit to my mother might be called for. I haven't seen her since the meeting at Malfoy Manor and I assumed she would be getting suspicious. I'm guessing that this is some kind of test of where my loyalties lie."

"Haven't you just seriously messed up, then?" Tonks asked, nodding her head in the direction of the battle that was still going on.

Regina sighed. "I fear that I may have." She raised a hand to her face and rubbed her eyes wearily, fighting to hold back the tears that prickled behind her eyelids. Then she took a breath and pulled herself together, her tone instantly business-like. "I have asked Molly to take over parental responsibilities of Henry should I be killed, but I want you to watch out for him as well, Dora. Do you understand me?"

"Aunt Gi… that's not what… Cora wouldn't…?"

With a mirthless laugh, the brunette nodded. "Of course she would, dear. I let her down… I don't expect to get out of this one lightly."

"You don't have to go back." Tonks pointed out, almost desperately. "Stay here. The Order will protect you."

"And put them in even more danger than they're already in? No." Regina shook her head firmly. "Cora and Bella would rip worlds apart to get to me if they thought I'd double crossed them. It would be the gravest insult of all. Besides, I refuse to hide. They won't find me cowering in a dark corner somewhere." She patted her niece's cheek gently. "It is better for everyone if they don't know. I'm sorry to put this on you, Tonks, dear, but this conversation must remain between us."

There was a pause as the younger witch considered the options. She grasped Regina's hand tightly as the brunette turned away and pulled her back. As Regina narrowed her eyes in a silent question, Tonks grinned.

"I've got it."

"Got what, dear?"

"The answer. All you need to do is find a way to make Cora and Bellatrix think that you're on their side, right? We just need a bit of theatrics."

"What are you talking about?"

The Metamorphagus grinned even more broadly. "We'll have the duel to end all duels. You and me; I'll even let you win."

Regina scoffed. "Let me win? I assure you, dear, if I wanted to injure you, you wouldn't be able to stop me."

"Right, come on, then."

"This is incredibly stupid and dangerous and–"

"No, it's not." Tonks shook her head vehemently. "Neither of us have any intention of attempting to actually hurt the other and we both know that. We just need to make it look good. Bellatrix tried to kill me and I bet she'd forget all about that little slip up with Parge if she heard that you'd got me."

Regina looked outraged. "I would never get you, as you so charmingly put it."

"I know that, Aunt Gi. But you could do me a serious injury, couldn't you?" The younger witch suggested with a grin. As Regina watched, angry looking gashes appeared all over her niece's body. "No pain, no gain."

"Nymphadora!"

A split second later the wounds were gone and Tonks shrugged. "Please, Aunt Gina. It's worth a try, at least. I can't bear the thought of you… you can't let them…"

Against her better judgment, the older woman nodded slowly. "Fine, but this is still between us, alright? It's safer for everyone else that way. Whatever's said… no one else hears about this conversation."

Reluctantly Tonks agreed. She waited while Regina picked up the Death Eater mask from the ground and fixed it in place. Nodding determinedly at her aunt, the young woman sprinted out from behind the shed, sending a hex flying behind her. Regina blocked it easily, returning the fire in a stream of constant jets of light.

Tonks repelled them hastily; unable to stop her eyes widening as the onslaught continued and she stumbled backwards. Regina reigned in the attack, slowing down her hexes and allowing her niece to take control of the duel. She blocked the spells with minimal effort, chancing a glance around to see whether anyone else was paying them any attention.

Remus, spotting his wife under attack, rushed forwards to join the duel. Tonks tried to dissuade him, saying she was fine, but he wouldn't hear of it. Suddenly under fire from both sides, Regina began to feel the strain. She remained in control but, with Remus' spells more on target than those her niece had been firing off, she was forced to grit her teeth in concentration.

As a jets of light from somewhere off to her right informed her that a third and then a fourth party had joined her opposition, Regina raised her arm sharply across her body to deflect the barrage of spells. The movement, however, caused her bicep to dislodge the mask over her face. Her heart clenched in her chest as she felt the cool metal slipping. There was nothing she could do as the mask fell away, revealing her identity to everyone around her.

Tonks' eyes widened in horror, which she would later pass off as the result of the realisation of who was attacking her, as she watched her aunt unable to do anything to prevent the situation unfolding. There was nothing Regina could do to stop it. Almost in slow motion, her eyes flickered over the figures standing around. Shock and betrayal was etched into each and every one of them and Regina felt physically ill.

Feeling like she had no choice but to escape, the witch flicked her wand and Disapparated.

* * *

After being shut in the house by Emma, Henry had raced up the rickety, winding staircases in search of a decent vantage point to watch the fight unravelling below him. His mouth dropped open as he watched the duels with great interest. His mother had never let him duel, even practising with her, in case he got hurt. He had, however, duelled with Draco on the odd occasion when he'd been staying at Malfoy Manor and Regina wasn't around to stop him.

The fourteen-year-old watched carefully as the witches and wizards blocked and parried and attacked, picking up on their differing techniques eagerly. He soon realised that the Death Eaters, while more aggressive in their tactics, were less skilled than the members of the Order and more inclined to go straight in with the Cruciatus or Killing Curses. Tonks' style particularly interested him; it was almost as though she was toying with her opponent, teasing them with lesser spells before hitting them with an Impediment Jinx or a Stunning Spell.

His attention was drawn to the familiar blonde in the pale blue dress who was duelling a Death Eater on the very edge of the fight. She was sending a constant stream of spells towards her opponent who, to Henry's surprise, was simply blocking the attack and doing nothing to retaliate. His eyes furrowed in further confusion as they both turned towards a second Death Eater. Rather than the first taking advantage of Emma's distraction, it appeared to Henry that the Death Eater had attacked his accomplice. Then, as the teenager watched, they ran out of sight behind a metal structure.

Confused, Henry tried to work out what had just happened. He kept one eye on Emma who, after a brief conversation with Killian Jones, had turned and re-entered the fray. The majority of his attention, however, was focused on the shed that the Death Eater had vanished behind. As he watched Tonks heading towards it, before disappearing from sight, he banged on the window, attempting to attract someone's attention and direct them to where his cousin was.

Henry swore loudly as, a short while later, Tonks erupted back into his line of vision, battling fiercely with the Death Eater. He gripped the window sill, almost pushing his nose through the pane of glass as he leant closer and closer, gripped by the exciting duel taking place below him. He felt grudging respect for the Death Eater when Remus joined the fight and then even more so when Mr Weasley and David Nolan jumped to their assistance as well. Watching the four against one fight, Henry held his breath, wondering how long the Death Eater could hold out.

"No…" His heart clenched painfully in his chest as the mask fell from the Death Eater's face and he realised who was battling so fiercely against the Order. "No! NO!"

He banged on the window with his fists, unable to believe that his mother could possibly have betrayed her friends like that. He could see the panic and fear in Regina's eyes as she stared around at the people in front of her and banged on the window again. Then she Disapparated in a cloud of black smoke and something seemed to break.

At Regina's disappearance, the rest of the Death Eaters seemed to take that as their signal to leave as well. All over the Weasleys' garden clouds of black smoke appeared and ascended into the sky, before vanishing completely. Those who were left looked around in complete confusion, as though they couldn't quite believe what was happening. Slowly they began to move towards the house, Emma waving her wand as they got closer to the building to remove the protection spells she had placed on it.

Hearing the front door opening, Henry leapt down the stairs and almost crashed into the group who entered the hallway at the same time as he reached the bottom. They stared at him, a myriad of expressions on their faces as the full realisation of what had just happened hit them.

Molly was the first to leap into action. "Fred, George… take Henry upstairs and show him some of your joke thingamies."

"But–"

"Now, thank you." She snapped.

Her sons and the younger boy scowled at her as the three of them made their way very slowly up the stairs. As soon as they had disappeared from sight, the woman ushered everyone else into the kitchen and closed the door firmly behind them. They paused for a moment, waiting to make sure no one was eavesdropping outside.

"What in Merlin's name–"

"Wait." Emma commanded, raising her wand. " _Muffliato_." When she received several strange looks, she shrugged. "Regina invented it years ago."

At the mention of the brunette, everyone froze. Only Tonks knew the truth but she had promised her aunt she would keep the truth to herself. As silence descended once more and the mass of assembled witches and wizards struggled to work out what was going on, that promise seemed harder and harder to attempt to keep.

Emma wandered towards the kitchen window, leaning heavily against the counters and staring out into the garden. Her eyes were fixed on the spot where the Cruciatus Curse had almost hit her and it was only then that the obvious occurred to her. The Death Eater who had saved her from that pain and the one who had turned out to be Regina were one and the same. But what did that mean?

"… then that means that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is in control of the Ministry." David was saying in a low voice.

"He's got control of Hogwarts too." Mary Margaret reminded them darkly. "Snape's the new Headmaster and they're bringing in Death Eaters to teach classes."

Aurora chewed her thumbnail anxiously. "And now what happens?"

Clearly they had moved on from the mystery surrounding Regina into discussing what were, to most of them, more pressing matters. To Emma, however, the most pressing matter was what was going on with her ex-girlfriend and why Regina had been acting so strangely lately. She couldn't understand why Regina, knowing that Henry was at The Burrow, had participated in the attack. Even if the woman felt nothing for anyone else who had been at the wedding there was no way she would have done something that would put her cherished son in danger.

"She must have been under the Imperius Curse." Emma announced, taking everyone by surprise. "Regina would never have put Henry in danger like that."

Everyone exchanged a look, before Molly stepped forward looking upset. "I know you don't want to believe that Regina–"

"She just wouldn't, Molly. You know that."

"I agree." Tonks said immediately. "Aunt Gina would never risk Henry's life or mine."

"She was trying to kill you!" Her husband argued.

"No, she wasn't. She was against four of us and all she did was deflect our curses. She saved Emma from being hit by the Cruciatus Curse!"

With most of those assembled not looking convinced, Emma and Tonks moved away and sat together, brooding over the events of the afternoon. Neither of them would have believed for a second that Regina had been there of her own free will and, while the woman's niece knew the truth, Emma firmly believed that she had been magically coerced into carrying out the attack.

"Molly…" Tonks called as the witch headed over to fill the kettle. "Does this… do you think this counts as something happening to Regina? Where Henry's concerned, I mean?"

"What are you talking about?" Emma demanded, looking between them.

The other women exchanged a look. Then Molly perched beside her on the sofa and took the blonde's hand between hers, giving it a reassuring pat. "Regina came to me the other day and asked whether, if anything happened to her, I would take care of Henry. Of course I agreed, although I never thought… I never imagined that I would actually have to… not so soon…"

Emma shook her head and stood up, making up her mind and deciding that they wouldn't be able to change it. She tucked her wand into her back pocket, avoiding the curious looks that were being directed at her.

"Em?"

"I'm going to her house." The blonde told the two women in front of her. "I need to know she's OK."

"She won't thank you for it." Tonks warned. "She really won't."

"I don't care." Emma snapped. "This isn't Regina."

"At least let me come with you."

After a moment's hesitation, Emma nodded. She couldn't deny that the thought of having the younger woman with her when she went looking for answers. Molly was looking between them anxiously as though she thought that going to Regina's home in search of her was the last thing they should do.


	6. Chapter 6

"I'm not sure this is a good idea…" Tonks muttered as they approached Regina's home.

"I wish you'd decided that before we left." Killian muttered under his breath, following the women towards the door.

Emma shot him a look but didn't say anything. It had taken a long time for some agreement to be arrived at in the kitchen of The Burrow after the blonde had announced that she was going in search of Regina. Most of those assembled there had completely dismissed her opinion that there must be a reason behind her behaviour, believing that the witch was simply showing her true colours at last. Several members of the Order, however, had agreed to accompany Emma and Tonks to Regina's home although, whether they genuinely believed that there would be some kind of explanation for the events of the day, Emma wasn't sure.

David and Philip reached the front door first and, wands aloft, had magically unlocked the door. Emma was immediately concerned; knowing that Regina wouldn't have left her home unprotected if she was out and, if she was in, would be ready to defend herself.

"Wait." The blonde muttered. "This might be a trap."

"I thought you said Regina wouldn't hurt anyone." Killian reminded her grouchily.

"She's allowed to defend herself in her own home, isn't she?" Emma snapped.

When he simply shrugged and glanced over his shoulder at the shadowy driveway, the witch ground her teeth and stepped forward. Killian had been trying to take her mind off things, as he called it, since she had broken up with Regina. He used every opportunity he came across to point out the brunette's flaws and never hesitated to remind everyone of her past and connections when he could.

Putting her hand on the front door, Emma applied just enough pressure to open it a crack and poked her head inside. It seemed completely deserted, but she knew Regina well enough to know that appearances could definitely be deceiving.

"Regina?" She called loudly. "Gina, it's Emma."

"She's obviously not here, love." Killian called from outside, getting impatient. "Let's just go in and have a look around."

Scowling at him, the blonde stalked deeper into the house that she knew like the back of her hand; the house that had been her home until a couple of weeks ago. They checked every room systematically, combing through the house with their wands drawn, expecting an attack. Finally it was just Henry's room that hadn't been inspected, but Emma was loath to let the others traipse around it.

Signalling for them to wait out on the landing, she pushed open the door slowly, the familiar creak sounding ominous in the silent house. An involuntary gasp left her mouth as she spotted the holdalls placed carefully on Henry's bed. Apparently Regina had been here long enough to pack up her son's things.

"Was she planning this?" Tonks asked in a low voice, causing Emma to jump and clap a hand over her rapidly beating heart as the younger woman moved to her side. "She can't have been. She wouldn't…"

"Clearly she was." Killian disagreed as he and David appeared in the doorway.

"No." Emma snapped. "She must have done this afterwards… she wouldn't let Henry stay at the Burrow without his things."

"Is there a note?" Tonks asked gently, sensing that the blonde was on the verge of exploding.

They hunted around for a while, the two witches convinced that Regina would have left them some answers; something, anything, to explain her actions. Killian, Philip and David were less convinced and only poked around half-heartedly. None of them were seriously looking for a note from the missing woman, believing that she must have packed the bags before the incident that afternoon.

Finally, realising that there was no hidden message for them to find, Emma and Tonks reluctantly gave in to the calls to leave and return to The Burrow. They collected up Henry's things and made their way outside. A shiver passed through Emma as she pulled the front door closed, wondering whether she would ever see the owner again and, if she did, what state Regina would be in. Killian attempted to take her hand, but Emma snatched hers away, tucking it up in her armpit away from him.

Tonks watched her, knowing the truth about Regina's motives. She desperately wanted to tell her friend about the conversation she and her aunt had had, but she knew that it would mean putting not only Emma in danger, but Regina would also be at risk. She hated that she was forced to listen to everyone badmouthing the older woman, casting aspersions on her character and the reasons for her behaviour, when all along Regina was doing what she could to protect them all. Clenching her hands into fists at her sides, she nodded at the others and Disapparated.

With hushed voices they briefly explained to Molly, Arthur and the others what had happened at Regina's home, before Emma excused herself. She carried Henry's bags up to Ron's bedroom where Henry was sleeping and knocked softly on the door. The sound of footsteps across the floorboards was followed by the soft scraping of the door being opened.

"Emma?"

"Henry… I…" Not knowing what to say, she simply held out the bags to him. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" He asked quietly. "It's not your fault. It's my mom's."

"Henry, no. It's just–"

"I saw her, Emma." Henry exploded, his eyes brimming with anger and hurt. "I saw her out of the window. I watched her duelling with Tonks; she was trying to kill her! Mom was trying to kill her own niece! She is just like my grandmother!"

Emma's eyes blazed with just as much intensity as his. "No! No, Henry! Your mother is nothing like Cora. Nothing!"

"How do you explain what she did then?" He demanded just as angrily.

"I can't." She admitted sadly, shaking her head. "She probably thought it was for the best… that it would protect you from… We have to believe and trust that Regina knows what she's doing. She worked so hard to leave her family's reputation behind her. Henry…" Emma shook her had again sadly, "Hen, you can't give up on her now."

"I'm scared." The boy admitted sincerely. "I'm scared for Mom… she's not–"

"Emma!" The call from down stairs was loud enough to make both of them jump.

Exchanging a look, they rushed from the room and down the rickety, spiralling staircase that ran from the top to the bottom of the house. The rest of the Order were gathered in the Weasleys' kitchen, looking expectantly at them as they entered the room. Emma threw her arm around Henry's shoulders and gave him a reassuring squeeze as they faced the others.

"Mad-Eye's Protection jinxes have been triggered." Arthur informed them quickly. "Ron, Harry and Hermione are at Grimmauld Place. I've sent a message to let them know we're all safe, but we think we're being watched."

"So what's our next move?" Ginny asked, her determined expression mirroring her mother's almost exactly as she leant her full weight on the kitchen table.

Molly spluttered. "Your next move is to get up those stairs to bed, Ginevra Molly Weasley."

The teenager rolled her eyes. "Don't full name me, mum. I want to help."

"You're just a child, Ginny!"

"I am not!" She argued. "I'm only a year younger than Ron and he's out there somewhere, on his own, fighting the Death Eaters!"

"Stop it, Ginny, come on." Tonks murmured, putting an arm around the girl and rubbing her bicep calmingly as she spotted how pale the older redhead had gone in response to her words. "That's enough."

Exhaling irritably, she wrenched herself out of the Metamophagus' hold and flounced out of the room and up the stairs. After a few moments they heard her bedroom door slam shut. Molly sighed and dropped heavily into one of the chairs around their kitchen table, putting her head in her hands. Mary Margaret and Tonks went to her at once, rubbing her shoulders and doing their best to reassure her.

"Ginny has got a point, though." Ruby said. "What is our next move?"

Her Grandmother sighed, but didn't disagree with her. In fact, all of them had been wondering the same thing. They looked to Remus, as the natural leader, to answer his younger cousin's questions. The werewolf, however, simply rubbed a hand over his face tiredly and shot a look at his wife, who shrugged her shoulders, still hovering protectively beside Molly.

"Rufus Scrimgeour is dead and the Ministry has fallen to the Death Eaters." He recapped after a couple of moments. "It's highly likely that we're being watched… our every movement will be scrutinised in case we can lead them to Harry. Regina knows far too much about the Order for my liking."

"But we–"

A sound from outside alerted them to danger a split second before the door exploded in a shower of wood and sparks. Unable to stop themselves, almost everyone in the kitchen screamed and leapt backwards as Death Eaters began swarming inside. None of the Order had time to react, finding themselves bound by invisible ropes as the Dark Lord's followers began thoroughly searching the house.

Footsteps on the stairs accompanied Fred, George and Ginny as they were shepherded forcefully into the kitchen. Relief crossed everyone's faces at the sight of the trio, completely unharmed, although they were all still furious at the intrusion.

When their search showed up nothing, the Death Eaters started interrogating everyone. They refused to tell them anything about where Harry might be hiding out or what he might be planning. Emma demanded information about Regina, but the Death Eaters refused to answer any of her questions.

And then, to the Order's complete surprise, they just left.

"You might want to check up on your parents." One Death Eater suggested snidely to Tonks as he passed, jostling her roughly as he went.

Not waiting around, the young witch Disapparated from their midst, aiming straight for her parents' house. Seeing that their back door had suffered the same fate as the back door at The Burrow, Tonks sprinted inside, looking around wildly. There was no sign of her parents in the kitchen or the living room, so she took the stairs two at a time in search of them.

"Mum? Dad?"

"Dora?"

Almost breathing a sigh of relief, Tonks threw open the bathroom door and saw her parents. Ted was perched on the edge of the bath, wincing as his wife pressed a cotton wool ball soaked in disinfectant against a cut on his eyebrow. The young witch rushed over, kneeling in front of her father and examining him quickly, before turning to her mother.

Ted chuckled. "Give over, love. I'm fine and so is your mother."

"He's right." Andromeda agreed, patting her daughter's cheek gently. "They asked us about the Order and Harry Potter and then they left."

"That grandmother of yours is a piece of work, Dora." Ted told her, shaking his head and standing up. He pulled a face as he straightened, rubbing his back awkwardly.

"Wait? Cora was here?" Tonks looked between her parents quickly. "She didn't… did she… did she use the Cruciatus Curse on you?"

"My mother is nothing if not predictable." Andromeda confirmed her daughter's fears. Catching Tonks' arm as the younger woman turned away furiously, she smiled weakly and shook her head. "Leave it, Dora. We're both fine."

"Was Aunt Gina here?"

There was a long pause as her parents frowned at her, neither of them having heard what had happened at the wedding. With a long sigh, the witch promised to explain, before leading the way back downstairs and until the kitchen. Ted bustled around making tea, while his wife and daughter sat at the table and Tonks explained everything that had been going on in the past few hours.

"That makes sense…" Andromeda mused. "There was one Death Eater… d'you remember, Ted… that one Death Eater who hung back. I thought it was strange at the time… But I never considered…"

Her husband nodded thoughtfully. "Mmmm… didn't seem to want to get involved at all, that one."

"I bet it was her!" Tonks exclaimed excitedly, overjoyed to have the beginning of a lead. She stood up, unable to stop herself almost trembling with concerns and beginning to pace around her parents' kitchen. "We need to help her!"

"The best thing we can do for Regina at the moment is to leave her be." Her mother attempted to soothe, laying a hand on the agitated younger woman's arm. "If Mother or Bellatrix believe, even for a single second, that Regina is going to betray them then her life would be in great danger. We have to trust that Regina is smart enough to have come up with a plan. I don't doubt for a moment that she knows precisely what she's doing and she is more than capable of looking after herself."

"But… what about Henry, Mum?" Tonks asked plaintively. "He doesn't understand what's happening. Maybe I should–"

"No!" Andromeda leapt to her feet and grasped her daughter firmly by the shoulders. "Leave Henry out of this, Nymphadora. He's just a child. You must honour your aunt's wishes. Regina's right… Henry is far safer not knowing what's going on."

"He thinks Regina's joined the Death Eaters… that she's betrayed the Order. He has no idea how much of a sacrifice she's making for all of us. I can't just… he's not… it's not fair!"

Smiling weakly, the older woman gathered Tonks in her arms and held her tightly, rubbing slow, soothing circles on her back. Ted placed the three mugs of tea on the table and took his seat, meeting his wife's eyes and smiling fondly. Gradually the younger witch calmed down, her hair fading from the bright, post box red that it had been at the height of her anger about the situation, to a soft honey blonde.

"Regina is clever, Dora." Ted reminded her gently. "She's more than a match for Cora if she puts her mind to it. She's a good woman and she's doing what she believes is best for everyone. Regina sees the bigger picture; this is about more than just one person. We have to trust her."

Nodding slowly and wiping her eyes, Tonks reluctantly took her seat once more and picked up her mug. "You're right."

"Of course I'm right." Her father agreed with a chuckle. "Dad's always right."

"Not always…" Tonks argued, just for the sake of it.

Ted gave her a crinkly-eyed smile and squeezed her hand across the table. His wife gave him a small nod and he winked, knowing that he had said the right thing at the right time. He may be a man of few words, but he had known exactly what their daughter had needed to hear in order to stop her flying off the handle and jumping into the fire feet first. Something would need to be done, eventually, but that moment wasn't the time.


	7. Chapter 7

Regina threw her mask onto her bed and turned away, raising her hands to her hair and grabbing it in fistfuls. She inhaled sharply and let the breath out in a long stream, pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace, continuing to run her hands through her hair. The concrete mixer that had settled in her stomach earlier that morning had refused to shift and, if anything, was making her feel more and more nauseous.

She couldn't quite believe how quickly things had escalated. That morning she had been preparing to attempt to embed herself amongst the Dark Lord's supporters. Now, she was wondering just how she had managed it so well. Moving across to the washbowl on the dressing table she began scrubbing at non-existent marks on her hands, trying to wash them clean.

"Regina?"

Jerking at the sound of her mother's voice, Regina dropped the bar of soap. It bounced off the dressing table and landed on the floorboards with a thud. Attempting to compose herself, the younger witch calmly raised the towel and patted her face dry.

"Mother."

"How are you feeling?"

"W-What?"

"You looked a little green when we returned from… their… house." Cora said, distaste twisting her features as she thought about her daughter and son-in-law. "I don't blame you, darling, I find being in their presence repulsive too."

"You have no idea, Mother." Regina replied cryptically.

Turning away, Cora continued to prowl around the room, the heels of her court shoes tapping almost threateningly on the wooden floorboards. Regina forced herself to act nonchalantly, moving around under the pretence of tidying up. She knew that her mother was studying her critically; clearly trying to decide what game the younger witch was playing.

"Why is my grandson under the roof of those filthy blood traitors?" Cora ground out finally, voicing the question that had been on the tip of her tongue ever since Nott had informed her that he had spoken to the boy while interrogating those at the Weasleys' home. "He should be here with his family."

"It was Henry's idea." Regina told her calmly, not turning to meet her eyes. She had been thinking about what to tell her mother about Henry, knowing that Cora would demand that he joined them. She refused to put him in danger; he was better off with the Weasleys and thinking that she was a traitor. "He offered to stay there and pass me information about the Order and their plans." Cora arched an eyebrow, clearly unsure whether or not to believe her daughter's words. Regina merely shrugged. "I couldn't stay; ever since Dumbledore's death they have been suspicious of me. And now… but they would never suspect Henry, he's just a child. You know how doe-eyed those blood traitors get over their children. They would never believe he was capable of turning on them."

With a chuckle, Cora nodded, clearly deciding to trust her daughter. Evidently something she'd said had resonated with the older woman and Regina sent her a tight smile, internally breathing a sigh of relief that she had swallowed the lies. Making a mental note to speak to her niece and inform her of the tale she had spun for her mother, Regina turned around to face her.

"I'm tired, Mother." She announced bluntly. "I wish to rest."

"Of course." Cora smiled broadly. "You'll need to conserve your strength, my darling. The war is just beginning."

She turned and stalked out of the room, closing the door firmly behind her. Regina dropped onto her bed, kicking off her shoes and curling into a ball. She squeezed her eyes tightly closed, fighting back the tears that were threatening to spill out from under her eyelids and down her cheeks. Pushing the heels of her palms into her eyes, she struggled to banish the image of her son's face – the horrified look that she had caught for a split second before she Disapparated from the Weasley's back garden – from her mind.

It was too risky to attempt to contact Nymphadora so soon, but Regina had to use all of her willpower to stop herself acting impulsively and doing so anyway. She told herself over and over again that it would put everyone in danger. Cora and Bellatrix, especially, were suspicious about her sudden U-turn and she knew that they were watching her carefully. For now, at least, she would have to keep her head down and play her part well.

Crawling under the covers, not bothering to change, Regina forced herself not to think. She forced herself to attempt to sleep, not expecting to be able to achieve it. Sleep didn't come easily, but it did eventually come. Somewhere in the early hours of the morning Regina fell into an uneasy slumber, tossing and turning and clutching at her sheets desperately.

It was another three weeks before she was able to contact her niece. Feigning a migraine, Regina had stayed at home while her mother and sisters went into the Ministry of Magic to discuss their latest plans. Once she was sure that she was alone, Regina had locked her bedroom door and cast the Muffliato Charm, ensuring that she would not be overheard. Then she had taken a pinch of the floo powder, which she had stolen from her mother's supply in the grand drawing room and hidden in a silver snuffbox on her dressing table, ready for the moment when she would be able to use it.

Throwing it into the fireplace, Regina clearly stated the name of the Tonks' home and stuck her head confidently into the emerald green flames. She rode out the strange feeling of being transported across the country, smiling as the familiar front room came into view. It hadn't occurred to her, until it was too late, that her sister and brother-in-law might not know about her double bluff.

Andromeda gasped and dropped her mug with a clatter as her younger sister's face came into view, swimming in the flames of her fireplace. She dropped to her knees on the hearth instantly, shuffling forward to get closer to Regina, smiling warmly at the younger witch. Reaching out, she laid one hand on her sister's cheek.

"Gina… are you alright? We thought we would hear from you before now. We were starting to worry that something had happened."

"I'm fine, Dromeda. Is Dora there?" Regina assured her quickly. Realising that the older woman hadn't seemed concerned by her appearance in the slightest, she guessed that the young woman hadn't kept the secret from her parents. "I assume she has told you about our last conversation?"

"She did… but she's not here, no. She spends most of her time at The Burrow these days." At her sister's words, Regina sighed, chewing her lip anxiously. "What's the matter, G?"

"I told Mother that Henry was staying at The Burrow in order to pass me information on the Order, so that she wouldn't drag him here to live with us. This is the first opportunity I've had to… she's starting to ask questions about why he hasn't told me anything yet. I'm worried that she'll try and contact him or…"

"Or ask him why he hasn't contacted you." Andromeda nodded understandingly. "And he won't know what she's talking about and, knowing Henry, he'll tell her exactly that. If Cora finds out you lied about why Henry stayed with Molly and Arthur..."

"I'm not bothered about what she does to me." Regina assured her hastily. "I'm worried about Henry."

"He misses you."

"But he doesn't know why I left." The younger woman sighed deeply. "I didn't explain, I just… I went and… he thinks…"

"He's confused." Andromeda agreed gently. "He doesn't understand. As far as Henry knows, you tried to kill Nymphadora. You went to Bill and Fleur's wedding with the Death Eaters and you attacked them. You disappeared without explanation and you haven't attempted to contact anyone for almost a month."

"Dora and I agreed to keep this between ourselves. I assumed she would have told you and Ted, but I hope it hasn't got further than that."

Andromeda shook her head. "No, she hasn't breathed a word of what you're doing outside this house."

"I am sorry, Dromeda." Regina told her sincerely, sighing. "I really am. I wish I could have kept you all out of this."

"Don't be ridiculous, Regina." Her older sister chided her impatiently. "You're my baby sister and I love you. We're worried about you, that's all. And you want to keep us out of all this? The Dark Lord has other ideas, darling. We're all in this up to our necks, whether you like it or not."

"Yes… I realise that." She agreed quietly. "I just wanted to keep everyone else out of this particular, Cora-shaped mess."

There was a long pause as they both considered the situation. Regina was just starting to get jumpy about the amount of time that she'd spent in the fireplace, when Andromeda spoke again.

"This is what we're going to do. We're going to go along with what Cora thinks is happening. But, instead of your information coming from Henry, it's going to come from Dora or me. You will give us information in exchange. Do you understand?"

"What if someone speaks to Henry?"

"Then he won't have any idea what they're talking about." She shrugged. "But that's fine because you will tell them that you've told him to act like that."

"What?"

Andromeda sighed, as though she thought Regina was being particularly slow. "Tell Cora that you've told Henry to deny all knowledge of the plan. If she says anything about being family or that Henry doesn't need to pretend around her, tell her that you thought it would be easier for Henry if he treated everyone the same."

Regina nodded slowly. "The Daily Prophet are planning to run a story about Potter being wanted by the Ministry for questioning over Dumbledore's death. I assume you already know that Thicknesse is under the Imperious Curse?"

"We do." Andromeda agreed with a nod. "The news story is new information, though."

"And…"

"Yes?"

The younger woman chewed her lip again. "They want to make a register of Muggle-borns. They're planning on creating a new Ministry Department, the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, in order to… I don't know, exactly, but it won't be for anything good."

"You're worried about Emma?"

"Of course I'm worried about Emma!" Regina almost exploded. "If being a Muggle-born wasn't bad enough, her connection to both the Order will make her a target for Mother and Bellatrix. Thank Merlin they don't know about her connection to me. Dromeda… if they get to Emma they won't just interview her… they'll make an example of her. Ted will be at greater risk, too."

"I'll tell Dora." Andromeda nodded, her face a mask of grim determination.

"They're also planning to make attendance at Hogwarts compulsory, although all children will have to have their blood status confirmed by the Ministry before they are allowed to go." Then Regina shook her head. "But they'll no doubt announce all of this before long."

"Having a head's up is better than finding out last minute." Andromeda reminded her. "Maybe we can do something about it… or at least prepare."

"I wish I could be of more use." Her sister said softly.

"You are a great help."

"I'm not really, am I?"

"Regina… having you on the inside is invaluable. I am not ignorant to the dangers you're putting yourself under. Simply being there shows a true strength of character that I'm not sure many possess, let alone allowing your friends and loved ones to believe that you're doing it by choice; that you betrayed them."

"I leave for Hogwarts in a few days." Regina said, not showing any sign that she had heard her sister's words. "There is much to prepare before the students begin to arrive. Mother did suggest that I head up the new Muggle-Born Registration Commission, but Severus impressed upon He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named that I was invaluable to the school and he refused to allow me to leave." She shrugged. "I doubt that communication will be any easier there… it may even be more difficult, but at least I won't have mother looking over my shoulders every two minutes."

"I'll try and find some information that you can use. Try and contact us next Wednesday; I'll make sure Dora is here."

"I'll do my best." Regina promised. For a moment she hesitated and then she smiled weakly. "Look after yourself, Dromeda."

"You too, G."

Retreating from the fireplace, Regina sat heavily on the stool at her dressing table. She stared at her reflection in the mirror for a long while, wondering when she had become the woman staring back at her. There were lines on her face that she didn't recognise and she was sure that the almost permanent frown had crept up on her when she wasn't paying attention.

Touching her cheek lightly, she let out a long breath and turned away. It would do no good to waste her time on regrets or what if's. There was too much to do and too much at stake to worry about things that hadn't happened or couldn't be changed now.

Instead she continued packing her trunk ready to make the journey to Hogwarts. With only a little over a week left until the students would be arriving at the castle for the start of the new academic year, there was a lot to be prepared. Regina had not been surprised in the least when Cora had demanded that she be released from her contract at the school in order to head up the new Ministry department, but Severus had been equally firm in his declarations that her presence at Hogwarts was necessary. The Dark Lord had reminded Cora how important it was for them to shape the minds of the next generation of witches and wizards and that Regina would play an integral part in that in her capacity as Arithmancy Professor and Head of Slytherin. Grudgingly Cora had agreed and, since then, had said nothing more on the subject.

As Regina had expected, two days after her conversation with Andromeda, the Ministry of Magic had announced the news of the new Muggle-Born Registration Commission. As joint heads of the commission, Cora and Dolores Umbridge had been photographed, side-by-side, on the steps of the Ministry. Their smiles had been equally wide and equally unnerving. Regina shuddered as she stared at it in the copy of the Daily Prophet that was open on her knees.

Along with that announcement came the news that attendance at Hogwarts was becoming compulsory for all school-age witches and wizards in the United Kingdom who had been given 'Blood Status' by the Ministry. Growling with irritation, Regina closed the newspaper forcefully and threw it onto the seat opposite.

Severus looked up, almost in amusement, at the sound. He arched an eyebrow at her, before reaching sideways and picking up the paper, opening it to the page she had just been reading and scanning it quickly. With a chuckle, Severus returned the paper to the seat and his gaze to his friend's face. Regina scowled back at him for a moment and then turned to look out of the window, refusing to meet his eyes again.

"Come on, Gina." He soothed. "There is nothing we can do about those parts of His plans."

"I know that."

"Let's focus our attentions on what we can change." Severus reasoned. "We're in charge of the young minds that will be attending Hogwarts. It is our duty to shape the next generation."

"Yes… and we both know how we're expected to shape them." She reminded him bluntly. "How are we going to go against the tide without being caught?"

"We don't draw attention to ourselves for one thing. Ostensibly we must be seen to be following orders, even if it's only to keep ourselves out of trouble. If anyone suspects…"

Regina nodded and exhaled sharply. "I know."

"I think perhaps the best way to do that is to ensure that the underground resistance to the Dark Lord is kept going."

"How do you suggest we do that, Severus, without drawing attention to ourselves?"

"Cleverly." He smirked. "We turn a blind eye, when possible. If we know that something is happening in one area of the castle, we divert attention somewhere else. They may not know it, but we'll be enabling them as much as we possibly can and, hopefully, it will allow them to create something worthwhile and useful."

"Do you honestly think that's going to work?" Regina asked. "Is it enough?"

"At the moment it's all we can do, Regina." Severus reminded her with a sigh. "We keep the others in line as much as possible, protect the students from harm and do what we can to help those who are fighting against the darkness."

Nodding slowly, Regina returned her gaze out of the window. "I just hope it's not in vain."


	8. Chapter 8

Regina felt like she was in some kind of waking nightmare. Most of the staff, apart from the newly appointed Carrow siblings and Severus, had taken to avoiding her like the plague, sending her evil glares and spreading rumours about her. She couldn't blame them, but it hurt all the same.

Somehow, Emma had managed to get around the stringent checks by the Muggle-Born Registration Committee and was allowed to return to work as Charms Professor. Regina had almost dropped the stack of books she was carrying when she had caught a glimpse of familiar blonde curls and heard the woman's laughter echoing through the Entrance Hall, relief and longing mixing together as she realised who it was. For her part, Emma had barely spared the brunette a glance before heading up the staircase with Ruby and Belle.

Severus outlined the new curriculum and expectations and the punishments for going against the Dark Lord's wishes were explained clearly and forcefully. Regina had no doubt that no one in the room was planning to adhere to the new rules; in fact she had no intention of doing it either.

The first couple of days of term flew past surprisingly quietly. None of the students had made trouble so far, but Regina was sure that they were plotting and planning something big. Henry was purposefully avoiding his mother and, with him being in Ravenclaw and not having chosen to take Arithmancy, there was no reason for their paths to cross. Regina had attempted to speak to him in the Great Hall at meal times or in the corridors, but he had pointedly refused to acknowledge her.

"Regina!"

"Mother!" The brunette jumped. She had barely set foot over the threshold into her office when the sound of the older witch's voice met her ears. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to inform you that the tip you gave us paid off."

"What tip?"

"That the Order would be holding a meeting at the Leaky Cauldron."

"Oh…" Regina sighed, remembering the information her sister had told her to pass on.

"We broke up the meeting, but they managed to get away." Cora said, looking disappointed. She didn't notice the small smile twisting her daughter's lips at the news. "How is Henry?"

"Fine."

"And how are you?"

"Also fine." Regina nodded, moving across to her desk and taking a seat. "But I'm very busy, Mother. As pleasant as this has been, I have to get on…"

"Before I go… have you heard about what happened at the Ministry yesterday?"

Against her better judgement, the younger witch found herself interested in what her mother was about to tell her. "No?"

"Potter, the blood traitor and their little mud-blood friend used Polyjuice Potion to take on the likenesses of three Ministry workers and infiltrate the Ministry."

"No?" Regina repeated with a gasp. "Who did they become?"

Cora arched an eyebrow. "Does it matter?" Wafting her hand around impatiently, she spoke with a bored tone. "Albert Runcorn, Mafalda Hopkirk and some maintenance wizard… as I said, that is unimportant."

"Then what is important, Mother?"

"Potter was inside the Ministry! He walked straight into our midst… he was standing under my nose… and he escaped!" Her fists clenched and a vein throbbed unpleasantly on her forehead in her fury at being outsmarted by the teenager. Regina barely managed to conceal her smirk of amusement. "We had him and he escaped!"

"How is that possible? How did three teenagers manage to evade capture by the entire Ministry of Magic?"

Cora scowled. "They were too slow sealing the exits. They got away through a fireplace. Yaxley nearly caught them… they went to Grimmauld Place as we had expected, but then they Apparated and we lost them."

"And you suspect they will come here?" Regina asked, reading between the lines.

"They are stupid enough to do something like that."

Privately Regina disputed that claim, but said nothing on the matter. "You wish me to inform you the moment we suspect they are trying to gain entrance or make contact with someone inside the castle?"

"I do, my darling."

"Very well."

"Good… I'll be in touch." Cora told her in a business-like tone.

Pretending to be engrossed in her planning, Regina watched out of the corner of her eye as Cora moved across to the fireplace and threw a handful of Floo Powder into the flames. Without a backward glance, she said the name of her home and stepped into the fire. Breathing a sigh of relief as her mother vanished, Regina leant back in her chair and folded her arms, thinking deeply.

* * *

Emma grunted as she hoisted her trunk onto her four-poster bed. Putting her hands on her hips and catching her breath as she looked around her room. She hadn't been away that long and yet it felt like a lifetime had passed. Towards the end of the last school year she had spent barely any time within these walls, spending most of her time in Regina's chambers instead.

Now, though, she would never take her surroundings for granted again. When she had been called in front of the Muggle-Born Registration Committee Emma had thought that she might never step foot in the castle again. It had been nerve-wracking as Cora and Umbridge had gone over her forged family tree with fine toothcombs, obviously hoping to find something incriminating. Emma had practiced and prepped for the interview, roping in her friends to help her prepare. Thankfully her fabricated family history had held up and she was grudgingly awarded Blood Status by the Committee.

Over the past month Emma had found herself struggling more and more with Regina's actions. Her unwavering faith in the older witch had been tested to its limits when, as more and more time passed, there was no word from her. The blonde had been sure that, when things died down a little, Regina would attempt to contact her to let her know what was going on. When no word had reached them, Emma began to doubt that there was an innocent explanation for her ex-girlfriend's behaviour.

"Em?"

Glancing up, the blonde returned her friend's smile weakly. "Hey, Rubes."

"Are you coming down for dinner?"

"I want to unpack."

Ruby laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. "We've been here for a week and you still haven't unpacked?"

Emma shrugged. "I felt like it was testing fate..."

"What? You were worried that they were about to storm in here and revoke your Blood Status?"

"It's not impossible, is it?"

"Chill, Emma. You're home, OK? We've got to hold it together for the kids." She dropped onto the bed and lay back, clasping her hands over her stomach. "I've already had to step in twice to stop Ginny getting herself into deep shit."

"What did she do?"

"Tried to curse Malfoy." Ruby shot her a look. "He said something about Harry and she snapped. Luckily I deflected the stunner and kept her ass out of detention."

"Rubes..."

"I know, I know... but I couldn't bear the thought of her having the Crutiatus Curse practised on her. Molly would kill me, anyway, if I saw what was about to happen and didn't try to prevent it!"

"We're not going to be there every time, are we?"

"No." The brunette grudgingly admitted. "But we have to do what we can." She rolled over and climbed to her feet. "Come on, you need food. I know that expression. You're getting hangry."

"Hangry?" Emma raised her eyebrows and chuckled.

"Hunger fuelled anger." Her friend explained with a giggle.

Swatting her on the arm, Emma allowed herself to be pulled out of her room and along the corridor. They met Belle down in the Entrance Hall and went in to the Great Hall together. Emma noticed, as she always did, that Regina was not present. Her seat, beside that of the Headmaster, was noticeably empty. As the meal continued, it remained that way and when the students began to file out and the room cleared there was still no sign of the brunette.

It wasn't unusual for Regina not to appear for meals, but Emma still couldn't help herself wondering, as she did every time, if something was wrong when there was no sign of the brunette. Realising what she was thinking about, Belle nudged her gently in the ribs and sent her a soft smile. Rolling her eyes and smirking in return, Emma threw herself back into the conversation and soon forced her mind away from the woman that she couldn't seem to shake.

As they headed through the four House tables, Emma felt someone's hand on her arm and she whirled round sharply. Her expression faltered when she met Henry's eyes and the frown was quickly replaced by a warm smile.

"Hey, kid. Are you OK?"

"Yeah, fine. Are you?"

"Yeah." She assured him firmly. "What's up?"

"Have you seen my mom?" Henry asked, looking as though he wished he wasn't. "She hasn't been to any meals today. I'm not worried about her or anything," he told her quickly, "I'm just wondering if she's up to something."

Emma felt a pang in her chest at the boy's words and the hardened expression on his face. She knew that he was struggling to come to terms with Regina's apparent deflection to the dark side as much as she was. Part of her wanted to reassure him that his mother was fine and that her absence was definitely innocent. But another part of her couldn't even reassure herself that that was the case.

"I'm sure she's alright, Henry. She's probably just busy with planning and marking and stuff."

He snorted. "Yeah, OK."

He turned and strode away, the anger radiating off him in waves. Emma shook her head slowly and closed her eyes for a moment, wishing that she could do something to make him feel better but knowing that there was nothing she could possibly do. The only thing that would help Henry was his mother giving him an explanation that would set his mind at ease.

Returning to her chambers, Emma threw herself into her unpacking with full force, wanting to take her mind off everything else.

The odd dance seemed to continue for a while. It proved impossible to keep Ginny and Neville and Henry and many of the others who rebelled against the new regime out of harm's way. Emma, Ruby and Belle had all volunteered to oversee detention, hoping to stop the use of the Crutiatus Curse on those who were being punished, but their applications had been denied. It did reach their ears, however, that Regina refused point-blank to allow the practice when she was overseeing detention. Emma knew exactly why that was and the information allowed a small flame of hope to reignite in her chest.

"Professor Mills?" Emma gulped and did her best to remain professional. She had been handed a message that she needed pass on to the Head of Slytherin and, despite begging her friends to go instead of her, she had found herself knocking on the door of the older witch's office. "I've got a message for you."

Regina's disinterested expression slipped for a split second at the sight of the blond in her doorway, but she quickly regained control of her features. It was not quick enough, however, to stop Emma spotting it. The blonde smiled internally, the glow in her chest warming her significantly.

"Thank you." Regina said in an empty voice, taking the folded scrap of parchment from the blonde. "If that's all you may leave."

"Regina?" Emma hesitated and then took a step towards her, into the office. "Are you alright? What's going on?"

"I'm perfectly well, Professor Swan."

"Regina..."

"That is all. See yourself out." Regina snapped, turning away and signalling that the conversation had come to an end.

Sighing and shaking her head, Emma retreated, leaving the brunette alone. As soon as the door was closed, Regina leant heavily on her desk, her head so low that her chin was almost tucked into her chest. Her hands curled into fists and she had to take several deep, steadying breaths, to regain her control.

Breaking the wax seal and unfolding the note, she quickly read the two words scrawled on the parchment in familiar handwriting. Tonight, 8pm. She knew exactly what it meant and who the note was from. Glancing at the clock set over the fireplace, she saw that it was almost half past seven.

Plucking her cloak off the hook on the back of the door, Regina let herself out of the office and stalked quickly through the deserted dungeon corridors. She made her way up into the Entrance Hall, falling back into the shadows as she spotted Amycus and Alecto Carrow heading out of the Great Hall, deep in conversation. Her stomach turned as she watched Neville and Ginny stumbling out after them, each supporting a younger student carefully.

Regina felt rage build inside her once more. She had been beyond furious when Severus had announced that the Cruciatus Curse was to be practiced on students who had received detention. They had argued fiercely, with Severus telling her that she was right and he agreed that it was barbaric, but the Dark Lord wished it so they couldn't refuse. She, however, had refused and was perfectly happy to stand in front of Voldemort, explain her decision and face the consquences if he so desired it. Luckily for her, Severus had managed to persuade the Carrows not to mention the disagreement and so, for now at least, Regina had been spared that.

As soon as the Entrance Hall was deserted, the witch made her way across the flagstone floor and disappeared out into the night. She hurried across the lawns and paused at the edge of the forest, glancing over her shoulder before picking her way between the trees.

Emma frowned as she watched Regina heading down the lawns and into the Forbidden Forest. Jerking back quickly as the brunette looked over her shoulder, Emma hid behind one of the stone pillars at the entrance to the castle. As soon as Regina had stepped into the darkness of the trees, Emma jogged after her, determined to find out what was going on.

As she passed through the first row of trees, the blonde slowed. She could hear the murmur of a hushed conversation taking place, but couldn't quite manage to distinguish what was being said. Creeping closer still, as close as she dared, Emma strained her ears to listen in.

"Did you bring them?" A voice, which belonged to a woman that was definitely not Regina, asked.

"Yes." Regina replied quickly. "You have no idea how difficult it was."

The other woman chuckled throatily. "I can take an educated guess. Thank you."

"Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean... It's incredibly risky. Look what happened last time someone tried it. It was only by luck that–"

"It'll be fine. We have to try. I need to do something, Gina."

"I can understand that... has there been any news?"

"No..."

"No news is often good news." Regina said in her most reassuring tone. "Besides, it's possibly wise that he's not made contact. It's too dangerous."

"I hope you're right."

"So do I." There was a shuffling noise and Emma hid quickly behind a tree trunk to avoid being spotted. "Be careful."

"You too."

Staying behind her tree, Emma held her breath as Regina strode past. Then she poked her head out of the other side in an attempt to catch a glimpse of whoever the brunette had been meeting in the forest. All she managed to see, however, was the back of a cloak as its owner disappeared in the opposite direction.


	9. Chapter 9

Several weeks passed and Emma was almost dying with curiosity about who Regina had met in the Forbidden Forest and what she had given them. The brunette witch hadn't done anything out of the ordinary since that night and Emma was starting to question herself about whether she had just imagined it. Almost starting to feel like some kind of stalker, the Charms Professor had taken to keeping a log of her ex-girlfriend's movements. Ruby and Belle had arched their eyebrows at her when they found out what she was doing, not believing for a second that she was purely interested in Regina's movements for the purposes of keeping the Order informed.

"You're turning into some weird obsessive ex." Ruby told her, plucking the notebook Emma had been filling with notes about Regina's movements. "Mills is batshit crazy, but you're heading in the same direction."

"She's right, Em." Belle agreed, more gently. "This is just plain weird."

"Look, just go and ask Lady Mills who she was talking to."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah, because Regina will just tell me what she's doing."

"You'll never know if you don't ask, Em." Belle reasoned.

"Right, I've gotta go… do a thing…" The blonde shook her head and grabbed her notebook back from Ruby with a scowl.

Ruby and Belle watched her stride away along the corridor, before taking the staircase three steps at a time in her hurry to get away from them. Exchanging a look, the two witches shook their heads and wandered in the direction of the Great Hall and dinner.

Emma, on the other hand, found herself roaming the castle. She was up on the seventh floor, wandering aimlessly along the Gargoyle Corridor, when she saw the statue that stood at the entrance to the Headmaster's Tower leaping aside. Hesitating, not wanting to be spotted by Snape, the blonde considered turning and walking as quickly as she could back along the corridor.

She hesitated for a split second too long, however, as footsteps on the staircase behind the Gargoyle alerted her to someone else's presence. Emma's mouth dropped open as she realised that, not only did the footsteps not belong to the Headmaster, they didn't even belong to a member of staff.

"Ginny!" Emma gaped at the redheaded sixth year who had just stepped out of the passageway, closely followed by two other students. "Neville? Luna! What in Merlin's name are you doing?"

With a broad grin, Ginny revealed what was hidden inside her robes. Emma's eyebrows nearly shot off the top of her head as she laid eyes on the silver sword the teenagers had stolen from Snape's office. It was unmistakably the sword of Godric Gryffindor; the rubies in the hilt catching the flickering candle light.

"Gryffindor's sword? But… why?"

"We're going to get it to Harry." Luna informed her, looking exceedingly pleased with herself. "It doesn't belong to Snape and it'll be much more use to him."

"This is mad." Emma told them in a low voice. "How are you planning to get it to Harry? They'll realise it's missing before you'll have a chance to do anything and they're going to start asking you questions; no one's got more of a motive than you three."

Ginny sent her a pleading look. "Please, Professor Swan, help us."

"I'll keep an eye out, but I can't do anything more than that. If anyone comes I'll distract them and give you a chance to get away."

Smiling and nodding their thanks, the trio headed away quickly, the sword still hidden from sight beneath Ginny's robes. Following at a safe distance behind them, Emma watched as they descended staircase after staircase heading for the front doors to the castle. Just as they were making their way down the final staircase into the Entrance Hall, the Headmaster swept through the door that lead from the Dungeon Corridor with a scowl twisting his features.

Emma swore under her breath and increased her pace, hoping to head him off or at least prevent him looking too closely at the teenagers. She was out of luck, however, when Regina appeared through the same doorway her friend had just walked through. The brunette glanced up and met Emma's eyes. The blonde was unable to mould her expression into one of anything other than shock and horror, which caused Regina to narrow her eyes thoughtfully, clearly trying to work out what had caused the expression.

"What are you three doing wandering around the castle at this time of night?" Snape demanded in a low voice, looking between the trio of students.

"We wanted to go and visit Hagrid." Ginny lied defiantly. "He was having trouble with some Bowtruckles earlier and we were going to see whether he'd managed to sort it out."

"Really, Miss Weasley?" The Head of Slytherin House arched an eyebrow and folded her arms over her chest, thoroughly unconvinced.

"Yeah, really."

"What have you got hidden under your cloak?"

Ginny faltered. "What? Nothing."

"Please, do not make me search you, Miss Weasley." Regina demanded impatiently. "Whatever it is, we will find out."

Reluctantly, but with a defiant expression on her face, Ginny removed the sword from the protection of her cloak. Snape's eyeballs nearly rolled out of his head at the sight of the weapon, but Regina barely reacted at all, much to Emma's confusion. It was just something else that she would add to her list about the older witch's odd behaviour.

"Godric Gryffindor's sword?" Snape demanded, reaching out and taking it from her. "But this was locked in my office. Did you break into my office and steal this?"

"It's not yours to keep so it wasn't stealing." Neville told him bravely.

Snape ground his teeth angrily. "Dentention… all three of you." Beside him, Regina stiffened. Sensing it, the man nodded slowly. "You will all serve detention with Hagrid tomorrow night. He has some jobs to do in the Forbidden Forest. You can help him."

"Now, bed." Regina ordered.

She received three scowls and the trio turned on their heels and stamped up the staircase, shooting Emma identical looks as they passed. The blonde nodded sharply at each, before making her way down into the Entrance Hall.

"Isn't Curse Practise a more popular form of detention these days?" Emma asked, making her tone as light and innocent as she could manage.

Snape's jaw clenched and his wand hand twitched, but he didn't answer. Instead, he headed up the flight of stairs with the sword clutched tightly in his other hand, leaving the two witches staring after him. When they were alone, Emma turned to Regina and reiterated her question.

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Grow up, Professor Swan."

"Grow up?" Emma snorted.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll–"

"I'll what?" She challenged. "I'll plan secret meetings in the Forbidden Forest?"

Regina's mouth dropped open. "What do you mean?"

"I saw you the other night, meeting someone in the Forbidden Forest. Who was it? What did you give them?" Emma demanded. "What are you planning, Regina?"

"I'm not planning anything." She hissed back, turning and starting to walk back down to the Dungeons, where her office was situated.

"Don't give me that, Regina! I know you better than that. Just tell me."

"There is nothing to tell!"

Grabbing the older woman's wrist, Emma yanked her backwards roughly. Regina stumbled slightly and the blonde caught her, pinning her against the wall and scowling at her. Struggling to free herself, Regina pushed at Emma's shoulders.

"Get off me!"

"Not until you tell me what you were doing out there. If you're plotting against the Order, the people who considered you as a friend, then–"

"I would never–"

"You tried to kill your own niece!" Emma raged, all of her hurt and suspicion and frustration crashing down on her and causing her to take her bad temper out on the brunette. "You're as bad as Cora and Bellatrix! Your own niece!"

"I would never harm a hair on Nymphadora's head!" Regina was unable to stop herself exclaiming, looking horrified at the thought.

The blonde snorted in disbelief. "I was there, Regina. I saw you."

"That wasn't… I… Fine!" Pushing Emma hard, Regina stepped away from the younger woman and folded her arms. Her eyes narrowed as she scowled. "Fine!" Then she leant forwards, jabbing her finger furiously at Emma. "But think about it properly. What did you actually see? Did you see me attack Dora or anyone else? No. You saw me deflecting curses but not casting any of my own."

"I…"

"Exactly! You come down here, throwing accusations at me without any evidence to back up your claims!"

"So what were you doing out in the forest if you're so innocent?" Emma demanded.

"That is none of your business, Professor Swan." Regina snapped.

"If you're so guiltless just tell me."

"Why should I?"

"Because at the moment I think that you're plotting against the Order."

Regina smirked. "And your opinion matters to me because…?"

"Because I know you well enough to know that you can't just turn your feelings on and off." Emma replied calmly. "I know how deeply you feel things. I know you loved me, Regina. I think you still do. I think you're just scared."

"Oh, really?" The Head of Slytherin laughed mirthlessly. "Well aren't I the lucky one having you to tell me how I feel?"

"Stop it, Gina. Just stop it, now. If you tell me what's going on I can help you!"

"You can't." Regina informed her bluntly. "So leave it alone."

Shaking off the hand that Emma still had on her arm, she stalked away along the Dungeon Corridor and disappeared into her office, slamming the door behind her. Growling, Emma punched the stone wall, before laying her forehead against it and exhaling sharply. She didn't believe Regina for a second, but knew that she had blown her chance to get through to the older woman.

As Regina's words about what had happened in the Weasley's garden came back to her, Emma decided to speak to Tonks about her take on the duel. Now she thought about it, she didn't actually remember Regina casting any curses, defensive or offensive, at all. Making up her mind to question her friend about the situation, Emma headed back up to the Entrance Hall, before leaving the castle and walking down the driveway in the direction of Hogsmeade.

* * *

Regina settled herself in the armchair in front of her fireplace and exhaled deeply. She rubbed the back of her neck tiredly, before a huge yawn forced itself out of her. The brunette closed her eyes and leant her head against the back of her chair, thinking hard about the many power plays that were going on around the castle and its inhabitants.

She was exhausted by the countless stupid, pointless attempts of the students to annoy, irritate and wear down their teachers. She knew that most of the staff were only too happy to look the other way or even encourage the teenager's reckless behaviour. While Regina would have been content to turn a blind eye to most of their actions, she was struggling to keep the wayward students in one piece. The Carrow twins were out for blood and even Severus was of the opinion they needed to make an example of the ringleaders to keep up their pretence and stop further trouble.

Standing up and stretching to remove the kinks in her back, Regina walked across to her desk and riffled through the papers piled on the surface. Moving aside the sixth years' essays, she struggled to find the information she was hunting for. Somewhere in the mess of parchment and books was a letter from her sister that Regina had been meaning to destroy ever since she had finished reading it. Communicating by letter had been a big risk and now Regina was relieved that they had found a safer method; one that would hopefully keep them both out of suspicion.

Finally laying her hands on the parchment, she cast her eyes over the smudged lettering for a moment, before crossing the flagstone floor and dropping the note into the fire. Regina watched with satisfaction, before turning her back and returning to her desk. She tapped the bottom drawer in her desk with her wand and then pulled it open. Regina rummaged inside until she drew out a sheet of parchment marked with a list of names and a large bag of money. Glancing at the time, the witch grabbed her cloak from the stand beside the door and pushed the two items she had liberated from her desk deep into the pockets. Magically locking the drawer once more, she headed outside.

Due to the strict rules put in place at the castle, her journey up from the dungeon basement and through the entrance hall was not witnessed. She left the castle behind and strode through the grounds, disappearing deep into the forest that bordered it. Stepping past the invisible boundary, Regina Disapperated before her second foot hit the ground.

"You're late."

Regina smiled wryly and leant in to press a kiss to her sister's cheek. "I'm sorry."

There was a pause as they cast numerous protective charms and anti-muggle spells around themselves, preventing them being detected by anyone who might either come looking or simply stumble across the two witches. It was unlikely, but neither of them were stupid enough to risk meeting without covering their backs quite substantially. There was far too much to lose.

"How are you?" Andromeda asked gently as soon as they were reassured they were safe, reaching out to squeeze the younger woman's shoulder reassuringly. "I've heard that things are tightening up at Hogwarts."

"They are. Severus is talking about reinstating several of Umbridge's rules and restrictions."

"Is it necessary?"

Regina chuckled. "It would definitely help to cut down my workload. Do you know what Ginny Weasley and the Lovegood girl did yesterday? They booby-trapped Amycus' office so that two dozen stink bombs went off as soon as he shut the door and he couldn't get out. I've never seen someone looking so outraged while retching into a plant pot before." Then the smile dropped from her face. "They were punished for it, though. I can't be seen to be going easy on them so I couldn't step in and do anything about it."

"You don't need to defend yourself to me, Regina." Her older sister reminded her calmly. "I know what you're doing."

"Mmmm… Any news of Ted?"

"No, nothing… that could be good, though. I'm trying to stay positive for Nymphadora's sake as much as anything."

"I'm sure he's fine." Regina tried to reassure her gently. "How is Dora?"

"Getting bigger! Remus still won't come near her, in case he affects the child."

The younger sister rolled her eyes. "Lupin has always been a martyr."

Andromeda chuckled. "I'm inclined to agree with you." She tilted her head, drawing the conversation round to the real reason for their meeting. "Do you have a new list for me?" Reaching into her pocket, Regina pulled out the parchment and handed it to Andromeda. She unfolded it, reading the names marked on it quickly. "This is a shorter list than usual."

"I know… most of the Muggle-borns have either already been chased down or they're being kept under control at Hogwarts."

"Or they're on to you and they're withholding evidence."

"Yes. There is that option." Regina smirked. "I'm trying not to think about that, though."

Andromeda nodded slowly, her eyes moving over the parchment again. "So we'll prepare for about two dozen newcomers? Hang on… Maribella Busby? She's not a Muggle-born? Isn't… isn't she Severus' aunt?"

"His mother's cousin, but they're not in contact. Maribella's halfblood but her son-in-law is Muggle-born… I think we'll need to bring in the whole family. They're related to the Weasleys, too, and they're down as blood traitors and Muggle sympathisers in the Ministry records. Maribella's got her two young grandchildren living with her, so I think it's safer if they all go into hiding."

"Of course…"

"Any… any news on Dean Thomas?"

The older woman shot her a compassionate look. "That's not your fault, Gina. You did what you could."

"It wasn't enough."

"Dean Thomas chose not to accept your offer. He chose to go on the run, rather than go to the safe house."

"Because he didn't trust me and, quite frankly, I don't blame him." Regina replied bitterly.

"It's still not your fault."

"Yes, well." Pulling her cloak more tightly around herself, the younger witch remembered the purse in her pocket and retrieved it quickly. "Here, this is the next instalment of the funds for the safe house. How're we looking, space wise?"

Andromeda chuckled. "We're getting a bit crowded. At the last count we had eighteen witches and wizards living there… all under the age of seventeen."

Regina nodded slowly. "I'll visit on Saturday and we can perform the Extension Charm. I think we're in danger of steadily increasing the number of those needing shelter, so we may have to perform the spell several times."

"How long do you think this is going to last?" Her older sister asked, her tone weary and defeated.

Smiling weakly at her, the brunette sighed and shook her head. "I don't know, Drom. There's no end in sight yet, but that's not to say there won't be a sudden change in circumstance."

As a cold wind whistled through the trees and both women shivered, Andromeda reached out to rub her younger sister's arm affectionately. "You'd better get back to the school before you're missed."

"Be careful, Dromeda." Regina urged. "Please…"

"You too, Gi." The older witch said, before removing the protective enchantments that surrounded them and Disapperating into the night.


	10. Chapter 10

"There's been a sighting."

Regina glanced up and arched an eyebrow at her mother. "Another one?"

Cora rolled her eyes. "This one's a sure thing."

"Excuse me if I don't immediately run for the door, Mother, but the last six sightings have been sure things, too."

"So cynical for one so young." The older witch sighed, patting her daughter's face much harder than was necessary. Then her face hardened and she bent to lean closer to Regina, lowering her voice to a hiss. "This time it's the blood traitor Weasley that's been spotted. He's on his own, but maybe we can get him to lead us to the Potter boy."

Her interest piqued at the knowledge that Ron was alone, Regina schooled her features into an expression of reluctance and stood up. "Where is he?"

"He was spotted on the outskirts of Barnton in Cheshire by Rawle and Rookwood. They were going to apprehend him, but decided to contact me first." She smiled dangerously. "I thought it was better to send you to talk him into incriminating himself than let those two idiots do so much damage he can't tell us anything."

Picking up her cloak, Regina sent her mother a quick look over her shoulder. "You do realise he's probably gone by now?"

"For your sake, dear, I hope that's not the case."

Ignoring the threat, Regina nodded once and headed out of the room. Making her way out of her mother's home and along the driveway, the witch didn't even break her stride as she crossed the invisible boundary and Disapparated. Shuddering against the sudden drop in temperature, the woman glanced around for a sign of the young man she was supposed to be tracking down. Instead, her eyes fell on the two Death Eaters who had sent the message that Ron was there to her mother.

"Rawle, Rookwood?" She strode towards them, drawing herself up to her full height and staring at them irritable. "Where is he, then?"

"'E went in that shop." Rawle informed her, nodding towards the small building on the corner of the road. "Been in there about ten minutes."

"Thank you. I'll handle it from here." She said simply. When they didn't move, she arched an eyebrow. "You can go."

"I dunno if that's a good idea."

"Of course… because he's much more likely to talk to me with you two hanging around? How ridiculous of me not to realise that."

"Is he likely to talk to you anyway?" Rookwood asked, snorting in amusement.

Regina scowled at him. "I'm his former professor, he's more likely to speak to me on my own, rather than if I am being flanked by two Death Eaters."

There was a moment of uncertainty when the two men looked at each other, apparently weighing up their options. Then, with synchronised shrugs, the two Death Eaters Disapparated, leaving the witch alone in the dark street. Smiling to herself, Regina headed in the direction of the lights and paused outside the shop. Tilting her head slightly, she considered her surroundings, weighing up the likelihood that she would be able to speak openly to the teenager.

Pushing the door open, deciding that it was better to just get on with it, Regina stepped inside. She was immediately overwhelmed by the temperature difference, a small shiver running up her spine as the warmth spread through her body. Spotting Ron immediately, she headed in his direction, wondering how on earth he had expected to avoid detection. Seconds later the seventeen-year-old spotted her heading across the shop towards him and turned to flee.

"Wait!" She called, almost desperately. As though hearing something in her tone, Ron hesitated just enough for Regina to catch him, laying her hand gently on his arm. "Please, listen to me."

"Why should I?" He demanded suspiciously, gripping his wand tightly.

Regina held her hands up to show that she wasn't going to use her own wand on him. "Despite what you believe, I am on your side."

"Like I believe that!" Ron scoffed. "I heard what happened at the wedding."

Exhaling sharply, the brunette glanced around uncomfortably. "We shouldn't be talking here… it's dangerous for both of us."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!"

Barely restraining herself from glaring at him, Regina looked around again. "Mr Weasley… do you really want to hang around here in plain view. The Death Eaters and… He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named... have eyes and ears everywhere."

"Bloody hell… even Death Eaters aren't saying his name anymore?"

"There's a Taboo jinx on it." She informed him calmly. "Saying his name breaks any protective enchantments and alerts him to the whereabouts of the speaker. I would advise you to refrain from using it." As Ron raised his hand, Regina furrowed her eyebrows in concern and grabbed his wrist. "What happened?"

"Splinched myself escaping from some Snatchers…" He informed her reluctantly.

"You should be more careful."

"Funny, I was concentrating more on getting away than keeping all ten of my fingernails."

"Fair enough, Mr Weasley. So… can we go elsewhere so you can hear me out?"

There was a pause as the teenager considered her. Doing her best to keep her patient expression in place, Regina waited for him to come to a decision about whether to trust her or not. When, sending her the tiniest hint of a nod, Ron opened his mouth to speak Regina grabbed hold of his arm and Disapparated.

Ripping himself out of her grip, the teenager looked around anxiously, trying to work out where they were and what she might be planning. Raising her hands again, the witch waited for him to calm down or ask her a question so that she could explain herself properly. It took several minutes but, when no Death Eaters came swarming out of the marram grass towards them, Ron turned to look at her curiously.

"Where are we?"

"Tinworth, Cornwall." Regina replied simply. "Your eldest brother and his wife live around here somewhere, I think."

"Why… why have you brought me here?"

"Mr Weasley… you have, for some reason, left Mr Potter and Miss Granger's company and decided to embark on some sort of solo mission. I thought that you would perhaps like some home comforts for a while." She reasoned. "Besides, as I pointed out earlier, it's dangerous out in the open these days."

"So… you're helping me?"

Regina was unable to stop herself rolling her eyes. "Yes, Mr Weasley, I am."

"Why?"

"Various reasons…" She said slowly, not really intending to enlighten him any further. "All I need from you is–"

"To know where Harry is." Ron guessed, scowling at the woman. "I wouldn't tell you even if I knew."

"Why would I want to know where Potter was?" Regina asked. "It's easier to tell people I don't know if I really don't know."

"So…?"

Sighing deeply, the woman allowed a fond smile to cross her face as she regarded him. There was a lot about Ron that reminded her of her own son. They shared a fierce sense of loyalty and a remarkably similar expression twisted their features when they were trying to work something out. As a totally confused expression covered his face as he attempted to work out what she wanted, if it wasn't information about Harry and Hermione, Regina chuckled softly at the way he screwed up his nose. Ron's confusion seemed to deepen and he folded his arms, regarding her carefully. There was a long silence as they stared at each other, wordlessly attempting to communicate.

"What do you want from me?"

"I want you to keep this meeting a complete secret." Regina told him softly. "I don't want you to speak a word of this to anyone."

"Why?"

With a huff, Regina furrowed her eyebrows at him, again thinking of the resemblance the boy in front of her bared to Henry. "You ask a lot of questions."

"Come on, Professor Mills." Ron shook his head in disbelief. "You're the daughter of the closest thing You-Know-Who has to a girlfriend. You can't blame me for being a little bit suspicious."

Unable to stop herself, the woman chuckled. "I'm sure my mother would be delighted by that description. I, however, am not. The fact of the matter is, Ronald, that your mother is looking after my son and so I am attempting to return the favour."

"This is about my mum?"

"Amongst other things." She met his eyes imploringly. "Please, Ron. I want your little friend to stay alive as much as you do. Despite what you might think I am not, and never have been, a Death Eater. I am not under You-Know-Who's control, but staying at Hogwarts means I am best placed to help those who need it. But that, in itself, relies on no one realising that I'm a double agent."

He nodded slowly. "OK… OK… I won't say anything."

"Thank you."

"And… thank you." Ron replied immediately, going red to the tops of his ears. "Is… is my sister OK?"

"Ginny has an uncanny knack for spotting the most dangerous and troublesome situations and throwing herself into them without stopping to consider the consequences."

Ron grinned. "She's putting up a fight, then?"

"She is indeed." The witch agreed with a nod, a fond smile tugging at her lips. "She has, thus far, managed to stay in one piece."

"Thank you." Ron repeated, sending her a small nod of gratitude.

As he started walking away across the sand, Regina cleared her throat. "Mr Weasley? I would advise you to rethink your solo mission. Go and find Mr Potter and Miss Granger. Whatever happened between you, you may end up regretting it if you don't."

Ron seemed to consider her for a moment, before sending her a lop-sided smile and pushing his hands into his pockets. Regina watched his progress over the sand dunes until he was swallowed up by the darkness. Then, with a deep sigh, she Disapparated.

Heading straight back to her mother's house, Regina arranged her features into an expression of intense irritation and stormed through the lobby towards the parlour. Throwing open the door she scowled at her eldest sister, who was lounging on the sofa in the corner, before fixing her attention on her mother.

"Another wasted trip to the backend of nowhere." She snapped. "Rookwood and Rawle assured me that the Weasley boy was in the corner shop. The only person in there, the woman behind the counter, assured me that no one had stepped foot over the threshold, apart from me, for hours."

"Perhaps he–"

"He wasn't there, Mother. Next time you stumble across a 'sure thing' get someone else, someone reliable, to check it out first. Otherwise don't bother to waste my time."

Cora blinked at her. "You're not serious, Regina?"

"Deathly." She replied in a low voice. Shooting a look in her sister's direction, she swept back towards the door. "I have work to do."

* * *

As October turned into November, Emma found herself getting more and more frustrated with Regina and her lack of understanding about what was going on with the brunette witch. Since their conversation, Regina had been pointedly avoiding her around the castle and refusing to even look in her direction in the moments they found themselves close enough to speak.

The Halloween feast had been tense, completely unlike the celebration of the year before. There was none of the party atmosphere around the Great Hall. Instead everyone seemed to be anticipating something, as though everyone was convinced that there was going to be some big event to mark the occasion. Before long, however, the feast ended and the students were ushered back to their dormitories by the Prefects and Heads of House.

Several evenings later, Emma had hesitated in the doorway under the pretence of talking to some of the seventh year Gryffindors, while she waited for Regina to finish her conversation with the Headmaster. It looked tense to the blonde at the other end of the Great Hall. She watched the brunette running her hands through her hair several times and shaking her head at the wizard in front of her, who appeared to be attempting to console her or convince her of something or other. Pushing his hands away, Regina turned and began stalking across the flagstone floor. As her eyes met Emma's, her step faltered slightly, but then she hardened her expression and continued towards her.

"Reg– Professor Mills." Emma started, but the brunette completely ignored her, sweeping through the doorway and heading towards the dungeons. "Oh, come on!"

"What do you want, Professor Swan?" Regina demanded angrily, rounding on the younger witch who had followed her down the steps and along the dungeon corridor. "It's late and I'm tired."

"Can I come in?" The blonde asked as they reached the door to Regina's living quarters. She leant against the wall as the older woman studied her for a moment, before reluctantly nodding. "Thanks."

"Well? What do you want?" Regina asked again as soon as she had seated herself in the chair by her desk. It was an attempt to distance herself from the other woman; something that Emma was entirely aware of.

"What were you and Snape arguing about?"

Regina stared, open-mouthed, at Emma. She couldn't believe the audacity of the younger woman; asking such questions about things that didn't concern her. Then again, Regina reasoned, it was entirely like Emma to do just that. For a couple of moments she simply studied her wondering what, if anything, to tell her.

"How's Henry?" She asked at last, changing the subject completely.

Emma looked taken aback. "Henry? He's fine. Why wouldn't he be?"

"You tell me, Professor Swan. My son hasn't spoken to me since August."

"What?" Exhaling sharply, the blonde looked stunned by the admission. "You're kidding?" Seeing the expression on her face, Emma winced. "Sorry… of course you wouldn't joke about that."

"Severus wants to reintroduce some of Dolores Umbridge's Education Decrees." Regina informed her quietly. "In particular Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four."

"Which is?"

Regina hunted on her desk for the scrap of parchment she'd written the full description of the Decree on after her discussion with Severus the previous day. " _All Student Organisations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disbanded. An Organisation, Society, Team, Group, or Club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students. Permission to re-form may be sought from the Headmaster. No Student Organisation, Society, Team, Group, or Club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the Headmaster. Any student found to have formed, or to belong to, an Organisation, Society, Team, Group, or Club that has not been approved by the Headmaster will be expelled_."

"Well…" Emma exhaled sharply once the brunette had finished reading aloud. "That's a bit shit."

Despite herself, Regina chuckled. "Yes, Professor Swan, it is a _bit shit_."

"So… what are we going to do about it?"

Regina frowned. "We? We're not going to do anything, I…" She trailed off as her eyes fell on the clock on her mantelpiece. "You should go, now, Professor Swan. Good night."

"But… what?" Emma blinked in confusion as the older woman manhandled her towards the door and all but pushed her through it.

No sooner was the door closed in the blonde's face, than there was a flash of light from the fireplace. Giving herself a moment to compose herself, Regina turned to find herself looking at her mother. Cora arched an eyebrow as she took in the younger woman's appearance, wondering at the fact that the usually composed witch looked slightly flustered.

"Regina?"

"Yes, Mother, sorry… I had to deal with a student who–"

"I don't care, Regina." Cora cut her off bluntly. "I've come to tell you that the Minister has approved Severus' request to invoke Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four, with further permission to invoke any others at his discretion."

"Wonderful."

"Now, about that information Henry gave you." Cora continued, not noticing the almost pained expression on her daughter's face. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron and managed to break up the meeting."

"Did you capture any of the Order?"

"No." The older woman snapped bitterly. "They got away."

"Oh…"

"Quite. But Rodolphus overheard them saying that something would go ahead next Tuesday."

"What?" Regina furrowed her eyebrows. "What have they got planned?"

"We don't know; that's why we need Henry to find out for us. So far his information has been good and we feel that we're getting closer to capturing several prominent members of the Order."

"Mother, asking Henry for that sort of information is risky. It's too specific."

"I have every faith that he will handle the task brilliantly." Cora replied bluntly. "Just ask him, Regina; don't make issues where there are none."

Instead of responding, the younger witch simply nodded and watched her mother return towards the fireplace. She paused for a moment, before shaking her head and throwing Floo powder into the grate. Regina watched as Cora stepped into the flames and vanished from sight.

Regina waited a couple of moments before moving back to her desk. From the magically locked drawer at the bottom she pulled out a tiny oblong and set it on the surface in front of her. Tapping it once with her wand Regina muttered, " _Engorgio"_ and waited for the object to regain its original size. Almost immediately it became a notebook with a crimson leather cover. Flipping it open, Regina picked up her quill and started writing on the enchanted paper. It had been simple enough to cast the Protean Charm on the notebook and the copy that was in her elder sister's possession, along with a Colour Change Charm to alert them to when a new message had been written on the pages.

Regina paused for a moment, before continuing her correspondence.

**Andromeda,**

**I need to ask you about a possible meeting or planned attack by the Order which is due to take place next Tuesday (November 11** **th** **). You know I wouldn't normally ask about specific events, but I am sure you can guess why I am now.**

**Severus has obtained permission from Thicknesse to reinstate Umbridge's Educational Decrees, starting with Number Twenty-Four, which deals with the disbanding of student organisations. Clearly this is a response to the on-going campaign by those students calling themselves Dumbledore's Army who are going out of their way to make life less comfortable for those they feel are working against the Order. Naturally I am expecting the announcement of Decree Twenty-Four will only fuel them to even worse behaviour.**

**Hopefully I'll hear from you before, but if not, I'll see you tomorrow – usual time and place.**

**Regina**

She tapped the notebook with her wand. " _Illegibilus._ " She tapped it again. " _Reducio._ "

Returning the now miniaturised book to her desk drawer, the witch crossed to the table on the opposite side of the room and picked up the decanter that lived there. Pouring herself a generous measure of Firewhisky, Regina headed slowly back to the chair behind her desk and pulled a sheet of parchment out of the bottom drawer. She cast her eyes over the names written there thoughtfully, formulating a plan.


	11. Chapter 11

As Regina had suggested, Snape had brought in Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four. The students had rebelled strongly against being told they weren't allowed to gather in groups of three or more and the Hogwarts staff had spent the next couple of weeks doing their best to keep the ringleaders out of more trouble than was necessary. A lot of the staff knew far more about what their students were up to than they were letting on, but Emma was struggling to keep her promise to Molly Weasley and keep Ginny out of trouble. The sixteen-year-old seemed determined to get herself put into detention on a daily basis.

After being unceremoniously thrown out of Regina's living quarters at the beginning of the month, Emma hadn't managed to get close enough to the older woman to speak to her again. Every time the brunette saw her coming, she would find some excuse to get away from Emma without even meeting her eyes. It was getting more and more frustrating to the younger witch, who was still convinced that there was something going on in her ex-girlfriend's life that she was keeping a secret.

"OK, so last lesson we touched on non-verbal spells, right?" Emma asked one Thursday morning, looking around at the assembled sixth year students. "So who's read enough of _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six_ to give me an explanation of the importance of using non-verbal spells?" There were a flurry of raised hands and the blonde looked around, pleasantly surprised by the reaction. "Freddie?"

"Basically, if you're using a non-verbal spell your opponent doesn't know what you're going to do until you do it." The Ravenclaw boy explained quickly.

"Excellent!" She nodded, beaming at him. "Which means what? Araminta?"

The Hufflepuff blinked several times before she answered. "Umm… you get a split-second advantage?"

"Precisely." Emma nodded, her face suddenly turning serious. "In times like this the more advantages you can get the better."

The sea of young faces stared back at her, most of them filled with fear at what she was hinting at. But Emma wasn't stupid enough to let them dwell on her words or the volatile situation they found themselves in. Instead, she smiled brightly around and motioned for the students to stand up. Slightly bemused they did as she asked, looking at her in confusion.

"OK, so we've established that using non-verbal spells gives you the element of surprise and a split-second advantage, but what's the downside?" When no one was quick to volunteer any answers, Emma smiled again, walking around her desk to perch on the side closest to the teenagers. "Come on? Think… Ginny?"

"They're harder to do?"

"Yes… Why?"

"Umm…"

"Come on, you lot! Use your brains." When the teenagers continued to look nonplussed, the Charms Professor shook her head and smiled. "Non-verbal spells require a huge amount of practice before they become anywhere near as effective as spells cast with verbal incantations. Casting them requires massive amounts of concentration and mental discipline, because you're doing it without the magical support of an incantation."

"Professor Swan?"

"Yes, Colin."

"Is it true that there are some spells that are designed to be cast non-verbally?" The boy asked enthusiastically.

"Yes!" Emma pointed at him, almost in surprise. "Ten points to Gryffindor. There are certain spells that are easier to perform non-verbally, but most spells are less effective than normal when the incantation is not said. Who can suggest one?"

" _Levicorpus_ and its counter jinx, _Liberacorpus_. _"_ A Slytherin piped up, much to his teacher's surprise.

"Well done, Dex, ten points to Slytherin. _Levicorpus_ ," she smirked as Ginny Weasley rose slightly into the air with a startled squeak, "and _Liberacorpus_ ," she paused as the teenager descended to stand on the classroom floor, "are best performed as non-verbal spells, but can also be performed using the incantation."

"Can you show us something else, Professor?" A Ravenclaw asked eagerly.

With a smirk, Emma caused the torches in the braziers attached to the walls around the classroom to burst into flame. Her students jumped back in surprise, not having expected it to happen, making blonde laugh. She arched an eyebrow at the teenagers, before folding her arms across her chest and looking at them critically.

"Element of surprise." She reminded them. "If I'd wanted to jinx you, you'd never have stood a chance. Right! Get into pairs; I want you to attempt to disarm your partner non-verbally. Anyone who–"

There was a loud knock on the door and everyone turned to look at the slightly wary looking Slytherin, who Emma recognised as a second year, who was hesitating on the threshold. He was shifting from foot-to-foot and eyeing her nervously, clearly wondering what kind of reaction he would receive for interrupting her lesson.

"Ivan? How can I help you?" She asked, smiling brightly at him in an attempt to put him at ease.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Professor Swan, but Professor Mills wants to speak to Alexis Sobel… I think it's urgent." He mumbled, spitting out the words as quickly as he could.

Emma shot a quick look at the Ravenclaw student in question guessing, from the expression on her face that she had no idea what the Head of Slytherin could possibly want to speak to her about. She considered denying the request for a moment and sending a note back with the second year to inform Regina that Alexis would go and see her after the conclusion of her lesson. Then she decided against it, knowing that it would probably annoy Regina more than was strictly necessary and, considering she had made her request in such a public manner, it was probably innocent enough.

"Very well… Alexis?"

"Yes, Professor…"

Her classmates watched as she returned her text books, parchment and quill to her bag and headed for the corridor. Emma sent her a reassuring smile before she closed the door behind her and disappeared along the corridor. There was quiet for a moment, before the Professor turned her attention to the rest of the class, urging them to get on with their practising while she moved amongst them, offering tips and encouragement.

* * *

Emma didn't think anything more of Regina's request to speak to the sixth year Ravenclaw until she was sitting at dinner in the Great Hall that evening. Regina's, not uncommon, absence from the teachers' table triggered her memory and caused her to frown deeply as she realised that she hadn't seen the teenager since then. A quick glance over the students sitting at the Ravenclaw table made Emma realise that she, too, was missing from the Great Hall.

"Rubes? You teach Alexis Sobel, right?" She enquired in a low voice.

"The quiet blonde in Ravenclaw?" Ruby checked, receiving a nod from the other woman. "Yeah, she's in my Creatures Class, why?"

"Regina sent for her during my Charms Class this morning… any idea what that might have been about?"

Ruby stared at her in bewilderment for a moment, before placing her half eaten bread roll on her plate and turning to stare at her friend. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she thought about something. "Regina sent for Alexis Sobel this morning? Which lesson?"

"Second… why?"

"Regina sent for her younger brother in my class this morning… I teach the Ravenclaw fourth years with the Hufflepuffs during the second lesson." They exchanged a confused look before Ruby glanced further along the table. "The first year Ravenclaws have Transfiguration during that lesson…"

"You think we should ask Minerva if Regina sent for Alicia too?" Emma asked, following the brunette's gaze to where the Head of Gryffindor was sitting.

"I do. I mean, what reason would Regina have to send for Alexis, Arron and Alicia Sobel?"

"I have no idea…"

"They are Muggle-borns…"

"Ruby!" Emma frowned at her. "It can't be because of that. Regina wouldn't…"

"Wouldn't she?" Ruby argued, arching an eyebrow meaningfully at her friend. "Em… her mother is Head of the Muggle-Born Registration Committee. She's a Death Eater. I definitely think we should speak to McGonagall. Who knows why she wanted to speak to the Sobel kids?"

Emma sighed deeply and shook her head, not knowing how to answer that without admitting that Regina looked guilty. They finished their meal quickly, before heading out of the Great Hall, via the Ravenclaws' table. Making enquiries about whether anyone had seen any of the Sobel siblings since that morning. On hearing that no one had seen them, Ruby shot Emma a triumphant look and even the blonde couldn't see how the two facts weren't related.

Making their way slowly up towards the Head of Gryffindor's private rooms, the two women discussed what they knew so far. They theorised about what might have happened, with Emma still unwilling to believe that it was as simple as her best friend was making out. As far as Ruby was concerned, the disappearance of the three Muggle-born Ravenclaws was as a direct result of their meeting with Regina. Emma wasn't so sure.

"Professor McGonagall… can we speak to you about something?" Ruby asked politely after knocking on her door, looking almost nervous under the piercing gaze of the older woman.

"Since you are no longer a student at Hogwarts and are, in fact, a Professor here I think perhaps you might call me Minerva?" The Head of Gryffindor suggested with a small smirk, stepping aside to allow the two younger witches into her rooms. "How can I help you, Ruby?"

"We…" The brunette glanced at her friend for support.

Nodding, Emma asked the all-important question. "Minerva, did Professor Mills request a meeting… an urgent meeting… with Alicia Sobel this morning?"

Minerva frowned lightly. "Yes, during my Transfiguration lesson. Why?"

Emma and Ruby exchanged a look, before the blonde cleared her throat. "Do you know why?"

"What exactly is this about, Emma?"

Sensing that Emma was uncomfortable, still not completely believing that their suspicions could be true, Ruby took over. "No one has seen the Sobels since they were called to Regina's office this morning. They… they're Muggle-born and we… well… we're worried for them."

"Because Cora Black-Mills, Regina's mother, is Head of the Muggle-Born Registration Committee?" Minerva surmised. When she received a confirming nod from Ruby and a slightly shifty look from Emma, the older witch furrowed her eyebrows slightly. "Do I need to remind you that Dumbledore remained steadfast in his trust in Regina?"

"Dumbledore's dead!" Ruby exclaimed without thinking. "Snape killed him and… no one can deny that Regina and Snape are joined at the hip. She supports his every action. We only have her word that she didn't know what was going to happen that night on the Astronomy Tower."

Emma scowled at her best friend. "Ruby!"

"What? It's true."

Clearing her throat and stopping the argument in her tracks, Minerva considered the two women for a moment, before turning to the portrait of one of her predecessors as Head of Gryffindor House on the wall. "Professor Humphit? Might I trouble you to ask Professor Trelawney to join us?"

With a curt nod, the woman in the painting headed out of her frame and disappeared from sight. Motioning for Emma and Ruby to take a seat opposite her desk, Minerva settled herself in her own chair and began shuffling through the papers in front of her. Emma assumed that it was a display of how little she was worrying about the charge that the younger witches had brought against their colleague.

"Sybil is on her way." The painting informed the women with another curt nod.

"Thank you, Eustace."

There was another, rather tense pause, as they waited for the Head of Ravenclaw to join them. It was no secret that, after Filius Flitwick's retirement, Minerva had had her reservations about the appointment of the Divination Professor as Head of House. Dumbledore had, however, remained steadfast in his decision and over the year the Professor McGonagall had come to realise that perhaps he had been right after all, as he so often was. She smiled warmly at the younger woman who peered anxiously around the door at them.

"Sybil, come in. Do take a seat." She encouraged her warmly. "We were talking about the Sobel siblings and, as they're part of your House, we thought that perhaps you would be able to shed some light on the situation."

"Such dear children." Professor Trelawney agreed, before letting out a loud sob, much to her companions' surprise. "Such a terrible, terrible shame."

"What do you mean?"

"Karen Moone found this on Alexis' bed in the sixth year girls' dormitory." Sybil told them with another sob, holding out a folded scrap of parchment.

Taking it with a confused expression twisting her features, Professor McGonagall opened the note and read it quickly. Her frown deepened as she read, before she placed the parchment on the surface of her desk. Opening her mouth to say something, the older witch gave a small shake of her head and lifted the note to reread it quickly before speaking.

"This is most… concerning." She admitted finally, before handing the note over to Emma and allowing the blonde to read the few sentences scribed by the sixteen-year-old witch.

**Professor Trelawney,**

**Please forgive us for not coming directly to you, but times are dangerous and we didn't want to alert anyone to our plan before we put it into action. My brother, sister and I have decided that Hogwarts is becoming too dangerous for us to remain and so we have made the difficult decision to go into hiding. With the many recent disappearances from the school, we are aware that our time here is running out and have decided to run before we are taken.**

**Please do not inform our parents of our decision; they will be much safer not knowing anything is wrong.**

**We are sorry to leave like this.**

**Alexis, Arron and Alicia Sobel**

"What in Merlin's name is going on?" Ruby muttered once she, too, had read the missive. "What recent disappearances are they talking about? The only people who've been leaving have been taken out of school by their parents, haven't they?"

There was a pause before Professor McGonagall spoke again. During the silence, the two Heads of House exchanged a deeply meaningful look. Emma and Ruby frowned between them, wondering just what had been going on around the castle and how they had missed it. Emma questioned herself quickly, wondering whether she'd been so focused on Regina's movements that she'd missed something important.

"There have been several instances of students leaving under similar circumstances." Minerva admitted. "Muggle-born and half-blood students disappearing from the castle and leaving notes like this one."

"Emilia Froggart, Amanda and Finley Smith, Jennifer Myers, Tom Pruce… they're just the Ravenclaw students who've run away recently." Sybil added, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.

"And no one knows why they decided to leave and where they went?" Emma asked, looking between the older witches with a frown. "How did they get out of the castle?"

"We don't know." Minerva admitted with a sigh. "Dean Thomas was the first… a couple of weeks after our return in September."

"Dean?" The blonde frowned, thinking hard. "How many altogether?"

"Including the Sobels? Twenty."

"Tw– twenty?" Ruby's eyebrows shot up towards her hairline in complete astonishment. "How have twenty missing students been overlooked?"

"Across three houses and from all seven year groups… it's not a huge number. Besides, they're all Muggle-born or half-blood with either questionable heritage or links to so called blood traitors. All the missing students have links to the Muggle world and we have to assume that's where they are." Minerva explained bluntly. "The Ministry aren't interested, other than wanting to know who to send their people after… it just means that there are a few less… undesirables… to worry about."

"Hang on, you said across three houses… I'm guessing there are no missing Slytherins?"

"Come, now, Emma." Minerva arched an eyebrow at her. "That's slightly prejudicial, isn't it?"

"Is it true, though?"

Nodding sharply, the Head of Gryffindor sighed. "It is."

Silence, only broken by Trelawney's occasional loud sniffs, fell in the office as all four witches considered the situation. Emma was determined to do something about it, unsure just why it had been ignored for so long. She could understand the assumption that the students had gone to ground in the Muggle world, but she knew that it was barely any safer there than it was in the Wizarding world.

"Do we know if Regina spoke to any of the other missing kids before they left?" Ruby asked suddenly. Receiving a scowl from the blonde beside her, she shrugged. "What? It's suspicious."

"I can't comment on all of the students, but…" Minerva sighed. "But I was teaching the second years last week when Regina sent for Demi Pearce. Two days later Demi ran away."

Sybil nodded. "Regina sent for three of my third years during a Tuesday afternoon Divination lesson last month. By that weekend all three had left; Robin Florret, Indira Lewis and Jennifer Myers."

"One from each of the three houses…" Emma mused. Then she turned to look at Minerva seriously. "Do you think that Regina is involved in these children's disappearances?"

"I hope not."

"That's not an answer." The blonde disputed. When the older woman simply arched an eyebrow at her, she sighed. "Seriously, what do you think?"

"I don't know what to think, Professor Swan." She admitted quietly. "I don't wish to think ill of Regina and yet…"

"There's too much evidence against her." Emma agreed, equally reluctantly. "But we don't know anything for sure. It's all circumstantial."

"So why was Regina talking to all those kids just before they ran away?"

The blonde shook her head. "Oh, come on, Ruby! You know that if Regina has one weakness then it's the safety of kids. She wouldn't do anything to harm them."

"There's plenty of people doing things that are out of character."

Emma was forced to agree with Ruby on that argument. "OK… we'll do a bit more digging, then. I still don't think Regina's involved, though."

* * *

It had been a very long day and Regina was just heading down to her quarters after patrolling the upper floors of the castle. She stifled a yawn, nodding at several of the portraits as she descended the Grand Staircase, pausing to wait for the steps to move so that she could continue her journey towards her bed.

"Professor Mills?"

Jumping slightly at being addressed, Regina whirled around and blinked several times at the portrait of Elizabeth Burke, a former Headmistress, who was watching her intently. "Professor Burke?"

"I've just visited my portrait in the Tapestry Corridor and I saw your son consorting with several other students from various houses." The woman in the painting told her bluntly.

Staring at her open-mouthed for a moment, Regina threw a hasty 'thank you' over her shoulder as she hurried off in the direction the woman had indicated. By the time she arrived at the corridor there was no sign of Henry or the other students he had been with, but the door to Severus' private storeroom was swinging open. Letting out a small huff of irritation, Regina easily repaired the damage to the door, which appeared to have been on the receiving end of the Bombarding Curse. Satisfied with the repair, she stepped inside to see whether she could work out what, if anything, had been taken.

Running her finger along the shelves, reading the handwritten labels beneath each box or jar, the witch checked the contents of the storeroom thoroughly. If anything had been taken, she wanted the opportunity to convince the teenagers to return it before it went any further. With the Carrows enforcing the Cruciatus Curse as a punishment for disrespect, she didn't want to find out what they would do to punish stealing from the Headmaster.

"Mom?"

"Henry!" Regina almost breathed his name, whirling on the spot. Her face lit up as her eyes fixed on her son. "What are you doing here?"

"Stealing the ingredients for a Babbling Beverage." He informed her with a shrug, folding his arms across his chest and staring at her emotionlessly. "We were going to break into the kitchens and slip it in the teachers' water jugs."

"Henry…" His mother shook her head in disbelief. "Don't be ridiculous. Do you realise just how much trouble you'll get into for that?"

"More than what Neville and Seamus got into for using the Jelly-Legs Jinx on those Slytherin seventh years?"

"Probably, yes." She agreed with a firm nod. "Henry, please…"

"No, Mom. We're not going to stand for this!"

"Who's we?"

"Ginny and me." He replied defiantly. "We're doing this, Mom, so I wouldn't drink from the water jugs at dinner if I were you."

Running her hands through her hair agitatedly, Regina followed him out of the storeroom distractedly, locking the door behind her. Henry strode in the direction that would take him back to the Ravenclaw Tower, clearly not intending to spend any longer in his mother's company. Almost desperately Regina followed, grasping him by the arm and pulling him back.

"Henry! I know you think I… but… there are things you don't understand."

"You attacked Emma. You attacked Tonks." He replied coldly, reminding the witch a lot of herself. "What is there to not understand?"

"Regina!"

Both Mills' turned at the shout, finding themselves staring at the sneering face of Amycus Carrow. Feeling Henry tensing beside her, Regina laid a hand on his arm and moved slightly so that she was between the two males.

"Yes?"

"The boy shouldn't be out of bed, Regina." He told her smarmily. "It's against the rules… it's a punishable offence."

"He's my son, Amycus." Regina replied coldly. "He's with me. It's hardly as though he's roaming the corridors causing trouble."

There was a tense pause as he considered them. "I'll let it go this time…"

As soon as he had left them alone, Regina turned to the fourteen-year-old pleadingly. "Come on, Henry. Don't do this. I won't always be there to protect you from–"

"I don't want your protection." He snapped back. "If my friends aren't worthy of protection, then neither am I. I'm not–"

Regina almost screamed with frustration at the sound of footsteps indicating that the first conversation she'd had with her son in months was about to be interrupted. Turning, scowling at whoever was approaching, Regina bit her tongue when she realised who was striding towards them and what it might mean. Beside her, Henry shifted slightly as though he was going to leap towards the approaching figures, so the woman grabbed his arm tightly, holding him at her side.

"Severus? What's going on?"

"I found this one down by the potions classroom." He replied, nudging Ginny towards them.

Regina hesitated, before stepping forward. "Weasley, stand over there, next to Henry. Don't even think about moving."

As the girl did as she was told, folding her arms and leaning against the wall with a sullen expression on her face, Regina leant closer to her friend and lowered her voice so that only he would hear what she was going to say. He arched an eyebrow at her request, but didn't say anything for a moment, his eyes raking over the two teenagers who were watching them with ill-disguised interest.

"Very well… but it's on your head, Regina."

"Thank you, Severus." She smiled gratefully at him and patted his arm affectionately, before he turned and swept away. Taking a breath, she turned to Henry and Ginny, fixing them with a stern expression. "You will both lose your privileges to visit Hogsmeade and I suggest that you forget about your plan to brew the Babbling Beverage."

"How did… Henry!" Ginny frowned at him.

"I made him tell me, Miss Weasley." Regina told her firmly. "Now, let's get you back to your dormitories before anyone else spots you and decides that a more unpleasant punishment is in order."


	12. Chapter 12

"Is it true you've banned Henry and Ginny from going to Hogsmeade?" Emma demanded, crossing the room and stopping just behind Regina.

The brunette jumped at her proximity and turned quickly, scowling at the younger witch. "Is that any of your business?"

"They're my students and, while they're here, we have some responsibility to them." She retorted. "So yes, I think it is my business. Have you banned them?"

"Yes, I have." Regina replied shortly, pushing past the Charms Professor and heading for the door.

Emma hesitated for a moment, before crossing the staff room and blocking Regina's escape route. Looking totally outraged, the brunette set her books down heavily on the closest surface and folded her arms. Emma faced her, not the slightest bit perturbed, putting her hands on her hips and sending her a challenging look.

"What do you want?" The Head of Slytherin demanded, emphasising every single word.

"I want you to tell me what's being going on around here… with you."

"I've been doing my job, Professor Swan, teaching the students and… what was it you said? We have a responsibility to our students? So, like you, I have been fulfilling that responsibility."

"What about your responsibility to Henry, Regina? What about your son?"

"How… how dare you?" Regina breathed, her entire body shaking with fury. "How dare you use my son against me?"

"The son you haven't spoken to since he witnessed you attacking your own niece?" Emma shot back, equally angry.

She couldn't understand what was going on in the brunette's head. It was clear that she hadn't changed in her fierce protectiveness and yet she was content to let Henry continue to believe that she was working with her mother and the Dark Lord. Emma watched Regina's face twitching with fury as she worked around what the younger woman had said. It was almost funny, Emma thought, that the brunette was so affected by her and she hadn't even started yet.

"I would never…" Regina threw up her hands and shook her head. "Get out of my way, Swan, or I'll make you."

"Make me, then."

"I'm serious, Swan."

"So am I, Mills."

There was a slight hesitation where both women just stared at each other, wondering what the next move was going to be. Then, without warning, they both reacted at once. Regina threw a stunning spell in Emma's direction while the blonde blocked it easily, retaliating with a stunning spell of her own. The older woman deflected the jet of light easily, hitting a vase on the mantelpiece above the fireplace and causing it to shatter into tiny pieces. Neither woman reacted however, continuing to aim and deflect.

Finally, Regina let out a small scream of frustration and changed tack. She sent a disarming spell in Emma's direction and, thrown off guard by the sound her ex-girlfriend had emitted, the Charms Professor felt her wand being ripped out of her hand. She was forced to watch as it flew through the air and Regina caught it deftly, a smug smirk on her face. They were both breathing hard, adrenaline coursing through their bodies in the aftermath of their impromptu duel.

Looking at the wand in her hand, Regina considered it for a moment. She remembered sitting with Emma as they'd talked about anything and everything. It had seemed so cheesy and yet romantic at the time, stretched out on blankets in her garden and staring up at the stars. Trading information about their wands seemed such a boring topic and yet at the same time it was so painfully personal; giving Emma knowledge of something that was an extension of her very self.

"Aspen and Phoenix feather… 13 inches… springy." She murmured, still looking down at Emma's wand.

"Acacia and Phoenix feather, 9 and three-quarter inches… surprisingly swishy." Emma replied without missing a beat. "We're like Phoenix feather twins."

Despite her better judgement, Regina sighed and met the blonde's eyes. "I'm sorry. I should never have…"

"No," the blonde agreed, "you probably shouldn't have. Why did you?"

"Oh, Emma…" Regina shook her head, holding out her wand with an apologetic look on her face. "It's… it's far more complicated than…"

"What's going on?" Emma urged, stepping forward into the older woman's personal space.

"Don't."

"Regina–"

"I've got a class to teach, Professor Swan." Regina told her firmly. "I suggest you get on with whatever you should be doing now, too."

"Oh, come on, Regina!"

Emma felt the progress that she had managed to make, tenuous as it was, slipping away as she stared at the woman in front of her. She knew the closed off expression that was taking over Regina's face al too well and the last thing she wanted was for the older witch to walk out of the room. If she did, then anything she had managed to break through in the last couple of minutes would be completely undone.

"Professor Swan, I–"

"Regina!" Emma shook her head and laughed mirthlessly. "Come on!"

"Come on, what?"

"Come on, don't act as though I'm no one." She urged gently. "Even if… even if there's no chance of us getting back together… I still want to be your friend, Regina."

For a split second Emma was sure that a stricken look had crossed the brunette's face at the idea that they might not work out their differences and be a couple again. But then it was gone and Regina was shrugging, bending down to pick up her books from the table where she had put them before their fight. She shot Emma a quick look, before fixing her gaze on a more neutral, safer point – the painting above the fireplace.

"I'm saying this for your own good, Emma… you do not want to associate yourself with me, let alone be my friend." Regina assured her calmly. "Times are dangerous and there are certain… expectations… now. It might be difficult for you to understand or reconcile yourself to my decisions but… they are mine."

"Regina, I don't believe you."

The brunette shrugged. "Believe what you want."

"Please…"

"There are two weeks left until the Christmas holidays and I doubt Henry will…" She broke off, forcing her tone and expression to remain neutral. "Please ensure my son enjoys his holiday, Emma."

Before she could respond, Regina had left the staff room and the door was banging closed behind her. Emma simply stared at the spot that had been blocked by the other woman's frame as though she was still standing there. In fact, Emma only had to close her eyes and she could recall Regina's face perfectly in her mind's eye. Sighing and mentally reprimanding herself for being so stupid, Emma moved towards the door.

"That girl is trouble." A voice behind her said and the witch turned to find herself staring into the smug face of a former Head of Gryffindor, Valeria Myriadd.

Rolling her eyes at the painting, Emma pulled open the staffroom door with more force than was necessary. "Shut up, Valeria. What do you know about anything, anyway?"

* * *

Emma had gone through the rest of her day almost in a daze, her mind totally focused on Regina. She was wondering whether the brunette had actually given up on persuading Henry to forgive her and that, more than anything else, was worrying the younger woman. She knew that, through everything she'd been through, Henry was the thing that had kept her on the light path. If she thought she'd lost her son then there was no telling what Regina might do or be capable of.

"So, guess what happened this afternoon?"

"What?" Emma asked disinterestedly, shooting Ruby a cursory glance as she dropped down beside her.

"Regina sent for Leora Kuhn at the end of my lesson."

"And? What happened?"

"I followed her down to Regina's office." Ruby said, almost triumphantly. "I tried to listen, but I couldn't hear anything, so I hid and waited for Leora to come out."

"Did she?"

Ruby scrunched up her face slightly. "Well, yeah, she did. But she looked like she'd been crying and she went straight up to the fourth year girl's dormitory."

"So what?" Emma shrugged, unable to feign interest in the story while her mind was elsewhere. "Maybe she was in trouble?"

"But what if she goes missing?"

"What if she doesn't?"

With a frown, Ruby shook her head. "What's up with you?"

"Go and speak to McGonagall again if you're worried." Emma suggested with a deep sigh, her eyes finding Henry at the Ravenclaw table. "Get her to tell you the password and go and check whether Leora's gone or not?"

As though she hadn't thought of that course of action, Ruby nodded slowly. "OK… I'll let you know what happens."

"Mmm…" Emma agreed distractedly, her eyes fixed on the dark-haired fourteen-year-old sitting amongst his friends. "You do that."

While Ruby headed away to speak to Professor McGonagall, Emma left the teachers' table and headed down to the Ravenclaw table. She smiled at the students who greeted her, coming to a stop behind Henry and his friends. The fourth years smiled broadly at her and she engaged them in conversation for a couple of moments, before requesting a private word with Henry.

He stood at once, following her from the Great Hall into the Entrance Hall, which was completely deserted. "What's up, Professor?"

"Henry… it's… it's about your Mother."

Instantly his face clouded over. "What about her? What's she done now?"

"She… she hasn't done anything, Henry." Emma assured him, the hint of frustration breaking through in her tone. "She misses you, that's all."

"She misses me?" He stared at her incredulously. "How do you know that? You haven't been talking to her, have you? This is what she does, Emma! She gets inside people's heads and makes them think–"

"No, Henry." The blonde stopped him firmly with a shake of her head. "She doesn't. She didn't want to speak to me and, before you say anything, she wasn't putting on an act. She really didn't want to speak to me."

The fourteen-year-old hesitated for a moment. "Yeah, well… she attacked you and Tonks at Bill and Fleur's wedding. I can't forget that, let alone forgive her for it, even if you can."

"But she didn't attack me, Henry. Or Tonks… not really. We attacked her and she just deflected our spells. She didn't even try to defend herself." Emma sighed. "Think about it. This is your mother we're talking about. If she'd wanted to hurt me then we wouldn't be having this conversation now, would we?"

"I suppose not…" Henry agreed slowly. "So… what do you think she was doing?" His face lit up eagerly as he thought of another possibility. "Do you think she's a spy? Like a double agent?"

"I honestly don't know." Emma admitted. "But I think–"

They both froze at the sound of footsteps and voices coming towards them. Grabbing Henry by the arm, Emma pulled him behind a suit of armour as they watched to see who was descending the Grand Staircase. Neither of them were quite sure why they were holding their breath, let alone hiding, but it seemed like the best course of action and so neither of them questioned it too much.

"… know it seems mad, Leora, but I promise you that this is the best option."

"My parents?"

"I'm afraid not… not at the moment." Both figures behind the suit of armour stiffened as the speaker came into view and they recognised Regina immediately. "Have you got everything?"

The Gryffindor fourth year beside her held up the small satchel she was carrying and nodded. "All in here, Professor."

"Excellent." Shooting a surreptitious glance around the Entrance Hall, she nodded.

Perhaps it was their imagination, but Emma and Henry could have sworn her eyes lingered in their direction for a couple of moments before she motioned towards the doorway that led down to the Slytherin dungeon. They crossed the flagstones quickly, disappearing from sight without another word.

"What's going on?" Henry demanded as soon as the dungeon door had closed behind them. "What's Mom doing with Leora Kuhn?"

"I wish I knew, Henry…" Emma muttered. Then she nodded decisively. "Come on."

They hurried across the Entrance Hall and through the door the two females had just vanished through. Instinctively they headed for Regina's rooms, pausing as they realised they had managed to catch them up. Peering around the corner, the pair watched as Regina ushered Leora into her office and, with another cautious look over her shoulder, followed her inside.

"Now what?" Henry whispered.

Emma thought for a moment, chewing her lip as she concentrated. Then she sent Henry a knowing smile. "You should go and knock on the door."

"What? Why me?"

"Because your mom is desperate to see you. Like I said, she really misses you, kid."

"You want to use that to find out what she's up to?"

The blonde shook her head vehemently. "No, I want you to speak to your mom. If you happen to find something out at the same time, great."

"You really believe in her, don't you?"

Emma looked at him seriously, before a tiny, crooked smile crossed her face. "Yeah, kid, I do. You should as well."

He hesitated for a moment, before smiling weakly and walking towards his mother's door. Raising his hand there was another short pause, before he knocked firmly. Henry's eyebrows furrowed lightly as he heard a thudding noise and a small scuffle before footsteps moved towards the door. Regina's harassed face appeared in the gap and she simply blinked at him for a couple of moments before a bright smile broke her expression and she opened the door fully.

"Henry!"

"Hey, Mom…"

"What are you…? Come in… please?"

"OK." He paused for a moment. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No?" Regina shook her head and ushered him inside. "Of course not! I'm so happy to see you." She settled on the sofa beside him, just far away not to be crowding him, wary not to scare him off. "How are you? I am sorry about the Hogsmeade ban... but it's a better option than–"

"I know, Mom. It's fine."

"I just want you to understand that I… I'm trying to protect you, Henry."

"And Ginny?" He asked curiously.

Regina paused for a moment and then nodded guardedly. "By extension…"

"Not because you like her, then?"

"Like or dislike has nothing to do with it, Henry."

"Or because you're friends with her mom?"

"Again, this is a far more complicated situation than like and dislike and friendships."

He arched an eyebrow. "I think friendship is exactly what this situation is about. Friendship and loyalty and doing what's right."

Her gaze lingered on him for a moment and then she smiled, shaking her head in amusement. "You're so grown up."

"What's going on, Mom?"

"Nothing, Henry." She told him lightly. "Absolutely nothing."

They continued to talk for almost another hour. Henry forced his suspicious nature into the background and Regina was delighted by the opportunity to speak to her son as though nothing had happened. By the time the boy glanced at the clock and realised he was in danger of breaking the curfew set in place by the Headmaster, they both felt as though things might be getting back on track between them.

"I'm so glad you came to see me, sweetheart." Regina told him honestly. "I really do love you, you know."

"I know, Mom. I love you too." He agreed, hugging her tightly.

Regina melted into his embrace, holding him closer. If she wasn't very much mistaken she felt him cling on tighter and heard him mumble, 'please be careful', into her hair. Pulling away, Regina cupped his face and smiled softly, before telling him to get back to the Ravenclaw Tower before he got into trouble.

"If you bump into anyone tell them you were with me." She informed him, leaning against the doorway of her office. "Send them in my direction if they have a problem."

Henry nodded and waved as he rounded the corner. Emma stepped out of the shadows, causing the teenager to jump and almost cry out, but she clamped a hand over his mouth just in time.

"Chill out, kid." She whispered. "So, what happened?"

"Nothing." Henry told her with a shrug. "Absolutely nothing."

"But… we watched Leora go into the office with your mother just before you went in. She never came out. She must have been in there?"

"No way." He denied, shaking his head vehemently. "Mom was on her own."

Emma frowned, completely confused by that turn of events. "Definitely? You're sure?"

"Emma, Mom's office isn't exactly equipped for hiding fourteen-year-old girls. She wasn't there."

"So where did she go?" The witch queried, more to herself than the teenage boy standing in front of her. "How could she…?"

Henry shrugged and started walking in the direction of the steps up to the Entrance Hall. He knew that there was real truth behind his mother's assertion that he might run into trouble if he didn't get back to the Ravenclaw Tower soon. Emma followed, still deep in thought.

"I don't know." The boy admitted quietly with a shrug, seeing that she was still trying to work it out. "But you were right… we should believe in Mom."

Emma beamed at him, despite her intense bemusement over the situation. Squeezing his shoulders, she left him at the bottom of the Ravenclaw Tower, satisfied that he would be safe enough to make his way to the Common Room without running into anyone. The past few hours were still running through her mind on repeat as she tried to work out what was going on and just how Regina was connected to it all. With Henry's agreement that they should believe in the witch in question, Emma was even more determined to get answers.


	13. Chapter 13

The last two weeks of term passed quickly. Regina decided that Henry returning to the Burrow for the Christmas holidays, as had been the plan since long before their reconciliation, was still the best idea. Neither she nor Henry had discussed their relationship with anyone, other than Henry's conversations with Emma. Privately each thought keeping it between themselves was the best, and safest, course of action; although neither mentioned that fact to the other.

Regina, for her part, had spent Christmas at Malfoy Manor with the rest of her family and various associates of theirs including, to Regina's discomfort, Voldemort himself. It wasn't a particularly joyful occasion, with more attention being paid to the Death Eaters' various missions and plots than the festivities. Regina felt sorry for Draco, stuck in the middle of the planning and pure venom that hung around the house. She tried to talk to him, to take his mind off things, but he was surly and unresponsive and, finally, his aunt gave up.

On the day before New Year's Eve, Regina was standing in the atrium of her sister and brother-in-law's Manor, staring out of the window and deep in thought. She had spent the morning arguing with her mother over further alterations at Hogwarts, backed up by Severus who cautioned them on making any drastic changes. He told them that things were running smoothly, that the Dark Lord's agenda was being followed and that they could see a definite drop in the hostile action from students. Regina chose not to dispute any of those allegations, seeing how they would benefit her and everyone else at the school if Severus' line was accepted.

"Ms Mills?"

"Selwyn?" She turned and addressed the man behind her sharply, almost angry at the intrusion.

"Xenophilius Lovegood has sent word that Potter and his associates are at his house."

"And?" Regina arched her eyebrow at him.

"Your mother said that if he–"

"Then I suggest you speak to my mother." Regina snapped.

She watched as he sloped away, leaving her on her own with her thoughts. With a deep sigh, the brunette turned and headed down towards the basement of the house. She hated what that area had been turned into with an absolute passion, but she knew it wasn't a fight she could win and so she tried not to let her disgust with the situation show.

Striding towards the bars that separated one side of the basement from the other, Regina pointed her wand at the brazier on the wall and it burst into flames. She repeated the action with the other braziers until the area was bathed in light.

"Hi, Professor Mills…"

"Hello, Miss Lovegood." Regina smiled as she approached the bars. "How are you? Mr Thomas? Mr Ollivander? Griphook?"

None of the males answered her question, Dean going so far as to stare at her suspiciously while Ollivander and Griphook simply refused to meet her eyes. Luna answered politely enough, but she was still far from her usual, bubbly self. Sighing softly, Regina asked whether there was anything she could get them to make them more comfortable, smiling as Dean immediately requested more food.

Chuckling softly, thinking that all teenage boys were the same, she promised to return with something for them to eat. Leaving the fires burning in the braziers, Regina headed up the steps and made her way towards the kitchen. She opened the door to the parlour, musing over what she could take down to the prisoners that wouldn't be missed. The brunette wasn't sure how long her mother would stand for her 'sympathetic attitude' towards the inhabitants of the jail cell.

"Regina? I hope you're simply peckish and are not intending to take that down to the prisoners." Cora said, making her daughter jump.

Turning quickly, the younger woman shrugged, keeping her face expressionless. "They won't be much use to us if they starve to death, Mother."

"They're not going to starve, Regina, don't be ridiculous." Cora scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Put it back."

"No, Mother, I won't." Her daughter refused. "We don't need it… they're hungry."

"If you do this–"

"You'll what?" Regina demanded, arching an eyebrow. When Cora didn't move or speak, she shook her head. "I didn't think so."

Taking a deep breath and holding it until she had safely left the kitchen with the armful of foodstuffs she had gathered, Regina headed back down to the basement and unlocked the cell with a wave of her wand. Setting the items down on the crate they were using as a table, she stood back and smiled around. Seeing that the prisoners were reluctant to help themselves, she broadened her smile and signalled towards the food.

"Please, help yourselves."

Slowly those in the cell moved towards the crate. As soon as they'd satisfied themselves it wasn't a trap or a trick, they began eating with gusto. Assuring them that she'd make sure they had enough food to eat at each meal, Regina backed out of the cell, locking it behind her. She was reluctant to do so, but she wasn't stupid enough to think there wouldn't be serious repercussions if she allowed the quartet to escape. At the moment, she couldn't afford to get into that sort of trouble. There was far too much riding on her staying in one piece.

Not long after she'd returned to the parlour there was a knock on the door and Selwyn and Anstley stepped inside, looking around nervously. Cora rose as they entered, using her whole body to show just how high above the two Death Eaters her position was. Regina, on the other hand, leant back against the cushions of the armchair she had settled herself in and regarded the man with undisguised distain.

"We went to the loony's house but there was no sign of Potter or the others." Selwyn informed them, apparently nervous. "The damage to Lovegood's house was pretty extensive."

As Anstley sniggered, Cora turned her sharp gaze on him. "Are you sure he wasn't there?"

"We looked, he weren't there." Selwyn assured her, shooting his accomplice a scowl.

"If I find out that Potter was right under your noses and you missed him, then you will be very, very sorry." The older Mills woman informed them in a low, dangerous voice. She advanced on the two men slowly and they, although being at least a head taller than the witch, shrank back visibly. "I don't have time for your idiocy."

Dismissing them with a flick of her hand, Cora stalked out of the room and left them staring after her. With a dark chuckle, Regina climbed to her feet and followed her mother's path glad that, for once, it wasn't her in the older witch's bad books. She found Cora easily, pacing backwards and forwards around the dining room, her arms crossed over her chest and her face screwed up as she thought hard about her next move.

"It's all about actions and consequences, Regina." She almost murmured, causing her daughter to jump as she hadn't realised that Cora knew she was there. "When things don't go as planned there are always consequences and the trick to staying alive is to stay one step ahead of everyone else."

"What are you saying, Mother?"

"I'm saying that there will be a consequence to what happened this evening and in order to prevent myself coming under threat of whatever reaction the Dark Lord has to the news that, yet again, Potter has slipped through his fingers, I need to deflect attention elsewhere."

"Selwyn and Anstley said that they looked and there was no sign of Potter. What makes you think there will be any consequences?" Regina asked with a frown.

Cora sighed deeply. "Lovegood might be at the wrong end of the sanity scale, but he knew what was at stake. He wouldn't have risked his daughter's life by calling us to his house if Potter wasn't there." She shook her head. "No, Potter was there and those two missed him."

"But, Mother, how can the Dark Lord possibly blame you for this?"

"Regina, darling, don't be stupid. It doesn't suit you." Cora informed her bluntly. "I'll be the one telling him the bad news and the adage 'shooting the messenger' will be wildly accurate."

Regina shrugged. "Let them tell him, then. Say that you aren't aware of the outcome of their visit and let them take the fall."

"And you think he will believe that I'm not aware?"

"It's New Year's Eve and you're a grandmother." The younger woman replied with a small smile. "Tell him you were spending time with Draco and hadn't been informed yet."

There was a pause as Cora considered her words thoughtfully. Then she smiled and nodded, reaching out and touching her daughter's cheek with more tenderness than Regina could ever remember. "I suppose I should go and find my grandson, then."

Regina smiled and watched her leave the room, her heels clicking on the floor. As soon as her mother was out of sight, the smile dropped from her face and she scowled. The brunette was well aware that most of her mother's actions revolved around plotting and planning and finding ways to keep herself out of the firing line at the expense of others. Regina had never thought she would be the one encouraging her to do so.

Irritably, Regina decided that she needed some air. She stalked towards the front door of the Manor, stopping only to retrieve a thick, fur lined cloak, and let herself out into the crisp night air. It was almost blisteringly cold, her breath forming great clouds in the air in front of her. Making up her mind in a split-second, Regina strode towards the gates and the boundary of Lucius' property, Disapparating as soon as she was out of the jurisdiction of her brother-in-law's land.

* * *

Despite all the fear and anxiety that surrounded them in the times they were living through, Christmas at The Burrow was a greatly enjoyable experience. Molly and Arthur had extended their invitation to lunch on Christmas Day to all members of the Order and their friends and almost everyone had accepted. All the Weasleys were in attendance, apart from Percy, Bill, who had decided to spend his first Christmas as a married man at home with his wife, and Ron. Emma and Henry were there, along with Eugenia and Ruby Lucas, Remus and Tonks. Neal and Killian had also accepted the invitation, but David and Mary Margaret, Philip and Aurora and Belle had opted to spend the holiday with their families. Andromeda Tonks had been invited along with her daughter and son-in-law, but she had politely declined, claiming that she wasn't really in the mood for celebrating and being sociable while her husband was still on the run.

After being asked, specifically, by Regina to make sure Henry enjoyed his holiday, Emma had devoted herself to doing just that. Her relationship with the boy she thought of, stupid as it would sound if she said it out loud, as her stepson was stronger than ever. They felt a bond, both of them connected by their renewed belief in Regina, which acted to draw them even closer together.

On New Year's Eve Emma had found herself pulled into a Quidditch match in the orchard behind The Burrow that started just after breakfast and lasted well into the evening, with various players dropping in and out of the game as they felt like it. Emma and Ruby had charmed several candles to light their pitch so that the match could continue even after the sun had set.

Emma laughed loudly as Ruby toppled sideways after a very well aimed Bludger from Charlie caused her to dodge, leaving the floating barrels that were acting as goal posts, unguarded. Henry took advantage of her lapse in concentration to dart forward and throw the Quaffle into the middle floating barrel.

The fourteen-year-old flew back towards Emma, Neal and Charlie, all three of them whooping exuberantly in celebration. Ruby, Killian, Fred and George bickered good-naturedly, each blaming the others for the fact they had conceded the latest goal. As Ginny, who was taking her turn as referee, bellowed for them to be quiet so she could reset the game, ready for the next round, Tonks appeared through the gloom and attracted their attention by waving her arms wildly in the air.

"Molly says dinner's ready and you've got to stop this ridiculous waste of precious time." The metamorphagus announced, putting her hands on her rounded stomach and smiling broadly at the bitter complaints her slur against their beloved sport had caused.

The players descended to the ground, along with the floating barrels and candles, and headed back towards the house. They teased each other good-naturedly and, although the teams had switched around regularly throughout the day, it didn't stop Charlie, Neal, Emma and Henry from gloating that their team had won by 640 points to 590.

"We didn't even have a Snitch." Fred whined as his older brother grabbed him in a loose headlock.

"Yeah and the Bludger was a charmed football." Emma pointed out with a grin. "A football that, I am reliably informed, you stole from some Muggle children when you were ten."

"That's slander." George retorted, feigning outrage.

"No, it's theft." Charlie corrected, laughing loudly.

Ruby shrugged, a sulky pout on her face. "So the score doesn't even count because we only had one Bludger, three on each team and no Snitch."

"You're such a sore loser, Ruby!" Neal teased her, scooping up the brunette with ease and throwing her over his shoulder.

They all laughed as he ran towards the house with her, Ruby squealing theatrically all the way. Spotting Killian making a beeline for Emma, Henry headed him off by placing himself at her side and grinning up at her. Not realising the cause of his actions, the blonde ruffled the teenager's hair and threw her arm around his shoulder.

Something caught Emma's attention out in the darkness and she squinted towards the boundary of the Weasleys' land, beyond the protective enchantments and spells that were keeping them safe and hidden from those who would cause them harm. A dim light was shining a little way away; somewhere that Emma knew was uninhabited and should therefore be completely undisturbed. Hesitating for a moment, the witch paused in her step, making Henry look up at her curiously. Seeing where her attention was focused, he squinted into the darkness as well.

"Is that…?" He muttered, slowing his pace so that they dropped back behind everyone else making their way towards the house. "No way…"

"Henry, I can't see who that is and neither can you. Hell, I don't even know if that _is_ someone."

"But if it is her… maybe she's in trouble? Why else would she come here? What if she needs help?" Henry pressed.

Emma sighed, seeing the logic in what he said. "OK… I'll check it out. But I need you to cover for me, Henry."

"Obviously." He agreed, rolling his eyes.

Smirking lightly, Emma winked at him and turned, heading out into the darkness towards what they had spotted. As she stepped over the invisible boundary, Emma felt a cold sensation trickling down her spine and knew that she was now unprotected by the enchantments that had been cast on The Burrow. Glancing over her shoulder, the blonde smiled as she realised that she could no longer see or hear the building where she knew there would be limitless talking and laughing and, possibly, even some singing later on; especially if someone gave Molly a few glasses of Eugenia's extra strong Nettle wine.

"You're brave." A familiar, rich, slightly amused voice met Emma's ears as she walked through the long grass in the direction of the light she and Henry had seen. "Not that I ever thought you were anything else."

"Regina… what are you doing here?"

"Not pleased to see me?" Regina asked, clearly attempting to sound nonchalant, but not fooling Emma, who could hear the slight waver in her tone.

"You have no idea…" The younger witch admitted, stepping closer and smiling softly. "But it's dangerous out here in the open."

Shrugging, Regina sighed. "I realised something terrible today…"

"What?" Emma prompted when the brunette trailed off.

"In trying so hard not to be like my mother, I'm becoming more like my mother than I ever imagined." She admitted softly.

"You are nothing like Cora."

"That's just the thing… I… I said something today that… I couldn't believe I'd said it. I offered my mother a way out of a situation by sacrificing… I couldn't…"

Wordlessly, Emma gathered Regina in her arms, sensing that it was what she needed and holding her tightly. Her eyes slipped closed as the brunette buried her face in Emma's neck and she felt the older woman's tears soaking through her jumper. Taken aback, not having realised just how upset Regina was, Emma gently disentangled herself so that she could look the other woman in the face.

"Regina… what have you got yourself into?" She breathed, worried about just how deep the brunette had found herself.

"It's not…" Regina sighed, wrapping her arms around herself. "It's not anything to do with the Death Eaters or… him. It's... it's easier to show you. Will you come with me?"

Emma hesitated for a moment, before nodding. In return, Regina smiled brightly, her whole face lighting up. If Emma had any doubts about putting her life in the older woman's hands, they melted away as soon as she was blasted with the full force of her former girlfriend's beauty. Holding out her hand, Regina tangled their fingers together and, without any warning, Disapparated. Emma was too focused on the feeling of her hand being clasped so tightly by the brunette to make any sort of complaint or question her plan of action.

Instead, she simply blinked several times, before turning to frown at Regina in bemusement. On first inspection they appeared to be on a lonely mountainside. Mist rolled over the ground in front of them and added to the intensely creepy atmosphere of the area. Apart from that, it was too dark for her to see anything, which didn't do much to settle the unease that was rolling around inside her.

"Where are we?" She asked after a couple of moments, looking around in complete confusion.

"We're in Mid Wales… the locals call this area the Epynt." Regina informed her, dropping her hand and starting to walk briskly towards a single, dim light in the distance. "Not that any Muggles come here very often… there are so many enchantments and protective spells on the area that there's very little for them to see anyway. The few Muggles who do come here are either just taking a shortcut or passing through on their way to the bigger settlements on either side, or members of the Military on maneuvers. They aren't looking out for anything unusual, anyway."

"What d'you mean? What's unusual about this place?"

"This is my big secret, Emma." She said with a wry smile. "I know you've been watching me… you've been suspicious about my actions for a long time. You think I've got something to do with those students who've run away from Hogwarts."

"I…"

"Don't deny it, that's beneath you." Regina told her, arching an eyebrow. "Besides, you're right. I am up to something and I am behind all those disappearances." She paused, tilting her head and examining Emma closely. "Do you trust me?"


	14. Chapter 14

" _This is the big secret, Emma." She said with a wry smile. "I know you've been watching me… you've been suspicious about my actions for a long time. You think I've got something to do with those students who've run away from Hogwarts."_

" _I…"_

" _Don't deny it, that's beneath you." Regina told her. "Besides, you're right. I am up to something and I am behind all those disappearances." She paused, tilting her head and examining Emma closely. "Do you trust me?"_

Emma didn't even need to think about her answer. "Yes."

Regina smiled that beautiful smile again. "Good."

"Are you going to explain, then? What do you mean you're behind all those students disappearing? What's been going on? You need to tell me the truth, Gina!"

"As you said before, it's dangerous to be out in the open. It's even more dangerous to discuss things that would not be looked upon too kindly by the current political regime."

Emma blinked at her. "What?"

Regina laughed. "I will explain… when we get a bit closer."

"Closer to where?" Emma pressed, hurrying to catch up with the brunette. Pushing her luck she reached for Regina's hand, her heart soaring when the older woman didn't push her away, but held hers tightly instead. "Where are we going?"

"Patience, Ms Swan." Regina teased lightly, squeezing their joined digits.

Doing her best to fight her natural impatience, Emma allowed herself to be led over the uneven ground with absolutely no idea where they were going or why. She screwed up her nose at the strange smell in the air; almost like wet dog, but slightly different. When she mentioned it to Regina, the other woman laughed again and informed her that it was the smell of the many sheep that lived on the mountains and had been caught in the rain. Emma simply blinked at her in disgust.

"This is Fferm Graig Ddu… it means Black Rock Farm in Welsh." Regina informed the blonde softly when they finally came to a halt beside a large rock, sticking vertically out of the ground. "It's been here for centuries and completely derelict for decades."

For a moment Emma stared at the crumbling, obviously neglected farmhouse in front of her. There were walls missing, the stones piled in heaps around the area, holes in the roof and broken panes of glass in the windows. Emma had absolutely no idea why they were standing in front of such a wreck of a building and paying so much attention to it. But then, as she continued to stare, the air seemed to shimmer and shift before her eyes and the large stone building began to repair itself; the stones flying back to the gaps in the walls, the glass repairing itself in the windows and slates filling the hole in the roof.

"I cast the Fidelius Charm on the building and I've been bringing those in danger from the new regime here to safety." Regina explained quietly as Emma continued to stare open-mouthed. "Now that I, the Secret Keeper, have told you about the Farm you've become a Secondary Secret Keeper. You'll be able to come here and find the farm, but you won't be able to tell anyone else about it."

"Regina, that's…" Shaking her head lightly, the younger witch didn't seem able to tear her eyes away from the farmhouse, as though she believed it would disappear again if she did. "If anyone finds out what you're doing…"

"That's sort of the point of being the Secret Keeper; no one finds out unless I tell them." The brunette sighed. "I couldn't just sit back and do nothing, Emma. I couldn't watch these children being attacked and endangered and do nothing to help them."

"So all the kids who've disappeared from Hogwarts after being called to your office…?"

"What did you think I was doing, dear?" Regina chuckled. "Eating them?"

"Isn't that a little bit obvious?"

Arching an eyebrow, the older woman sighed. "I get to see the lists of those wanted by the Ministry on the pretence of passing any useful information to my mother and Dolores Umbridge at the Muggle-Born Registration Commission. I arrange a time with them to get them safely out of the castle and bring them here. We use a portkey to transport the children here without detection. An unregistered, unofficial portkey, obviously. It brings them to the big rock out there and, if they think the name of the farm while taking a step forwards the building will reveal itself to them."

"Regina! That's ridiculously dangerous!"

"What else can I do?"

"Now you've told me about this place, made me a Secondary Secret Keeper, I can help you." Emma told her firmly.

Regina shook her head and laughed mirthlessly. "Emma, you have no idea… you're under constant surveillance."

"Because of my blood status?"

"Amongst other things."

"Regina… what aren't you telling me?"

"You're deemed high risk." Regina informed her bluntly. "I've seen your file. It's kept in my mother's office, along with several other high priority files."

"I'm flattered." Emma joked.

"You should be worried." The older woman admonished her, not seeing the funny side of the matter at all. "Em… this is serious. I want you to stay here in the safe house."

Emma frowned at her for a moment, before understanding crossed her features. "You've seen a Ministry list with my name on it, haven't you?"

"Emma, please…"

"Regina, I'm not going to hide. Not from your mother, not from the Death Eaters, not from… him." She replied firmly, folding her arms and shaking her head. Something occurred to her suddenly and she tilted her head to one side, staring critically at the brunette. "You said 'we'."

"What?" Regina furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"You said, 'We use a portkey'. Who's 'we'? Who's working with you on this?"

Exhaling sharply, the older woman nodded sharply and indicated towards the farmhouse. "Shall I show you?"

When Emma just nodded, Regina tugged on their still joined hands and led the way down the slate path to the large yard at the front of the house. Knocking on the door, they waited impatiently for someone to move to the other side of the door. Emma stamped her feet to try and stop them getting frostbite while they waited.

After a couple of moments, there was a triple knock from the inside of the building. Emma glanced sideways at Regina, totally confused by the sound, but she quickly realised that the other woman seemed to have been expecting it. In fact, she raised her hand and rapped three times on the wood with her knuckles, mimicking the rhythm of the other knock exactly.

"My name is Regina Mills and I am Secret Keeper of Fferm Graig Ddu."

There was a split second and then they heard the sound of several bolts being scraped across on the inside and several keys turning in locks. Privately Emma wondered what good such security would do if someone managed to break through the magical protections and enchantments on the building, but she said nothing.

As though she had read Emma's mind, Regina smiled gently. "The locks seem to reassure the Muggle-borns more than the charms and protection spells."

"Regina! I wasn't expecting a visit again so–"

"Dromeda." Regina leant forward and pressed a kiss to her sister's cheek as the older woman broke off, her eyes fixed on Emma in confusion. "You remember Emma Swan?"

"Of course… Emma…"

"Hi, Mrs Tonks."

"Andromeda, please." Regina's sister urged, still clearly confused by the arrival of the two witches.

"How are you? How are things here?"

"As well as can be expected." Andromeda assured them lightly, still looking between the two women in bemusement. "I've got a house full of teenagers… you can imagine what it's like; all hormones and drama."

"Good." Regina smiled at her. "Anything new on Potterwatch?"

"No, still no news…" They both knew who, specifically, Andromeda was listening for news of, but neither mentioned Ted's name. After a moment, the older woman cleared her throat and glanced at Emma again. "Gina… can I ask what's going on?"

The brunette nodded, smiling at her. "I wanted to tell Emma the truth about what's going on her and try and convince her to–"

"She wants me to stay here." Emma informed Andromeda bluntly. "She thinks it's safer for me."

"She's not wrong." The elder witch replied, equally bluntly.

"Let's have a look around before you rule it out." Regina suggested gently, not under any illusions that it would be an easy sell.

Curious to see what was going on in the farmhouse, Emma nodded and followed Regina further into the building. Andromeda watched them, taking in the interactions between the two younger women curiously. She knew that they had been close, perhaps closer than Regina had let on, but she hadn't been aware of exactly how things stood between them. Her younger sister had always been private, played her cards close to her chest, and Andromeda couldn't blame her given what had happened to Daniel. She suspected, although she couldn't be sure, Daniel's death was Regina's motivating factor now with her desire to keep Emma hidden away at the safe house.

"Professor Mills, did you remember those books?"

Regina clapped a hand to her forehead as she turned to look at the teenage girl who had attracted her attention from one of the doorways that led off the corridor. "Oh, Amanda. I completely forgot. I promise I'll bring it next time."

"That's OK." The teenager smiled. "I just wanted to make sure I don't fall behind if… well… if we get to go back to Hogwarts."

"I'm glad to hear it." The brunette replied, sending her a wink.

As they continued along the corridor, which Emma was confused to realise seemed to go on for far longer than should have been possible given the size of the building from the outside, the blonde sent Regina an amused look.

"What?"

"Amanda Smith is worried about her exams while she's in hiding?"

"She's a typical Ravenclaw." Regina shrugged. "I don't blame her though… she'll be sitting her N.E.W.T.s next year…"

Neither of them mentioned that there was a strong possibility that wouldn't happen. "Good point. So… what's the deal with this place? From the outside I'd have guessed three bedrooms, bathroom, living room and kitchen?"

"Originally, yes." The brunette agreed, looking impressed. "But that was before the Undetectable Extension Charms… all five of them."

"Clever." Emma nodded. "What other charms have you used on this place?"

"A form of Disillusionment Charm which is linked to the Fidelius Charm, causing the derelict appearance that you first witnessed. There's also an Intruder Charm, which alerts Andromeda to anyone coming within a 5 miles radius of the farmhouse. When the alarm sounds, an image of whoever triggered it is displayed in the large mirror in the Entrance Hall." Regina explained in a business-like tone. "There are a dozen or more other protection spells in force, too."

"But if the Fidelius Charm–"

"Quite." Regina nodded. "The Fidelius Charm is our main source of security. The rest of the enchantments are simply a back up. If the Fidelius Charm fails… hopefully the protection spells will hold them out long enough to evacuate."

"Is Andromeda here on her own?"

"What d'you mean?"

"Is everyone else here underage."

Regina chuckled quietly. "I don't think that really matters at the moment."

"But is she?" Emma pressed worriedly.

"No… well… We've got Maribella Busby, her three children and her son-in-law, who are all overage. But we've also got Maribella's eldest daughter's two children… they're two and four-months-old." Regina sighed, shaking her head. "If anything did happen and they had to fight their way out, two of those adults would be taken out of the equation. Other than those extra three overage wizards, everyone here is under seventeen."

"That's… unfortunate." Emma murmured and Regina knew that she was thinking about how vulnerable the residents of the safe house would be if it came to a fight. "Care to continue the tour?"

Smiling in amusement as the younger woman attempted to feign nonchalance, Regina showed her round the rest of the farmhouse, laughing as Emma blinked in astonishment at the sheer size of the inside of the building. Asking question after question, which Regina was easily able to answer, it seemed as though Emma were reconsidering her immediate refusal to take up residence in the safe house. The older witch was well aware that, should the blonde agree to move in, it would not be out a sudden sense of self-preservation. Instead, Emma would agree to the protection out of a desire to help defend the others living there.

"So… how many kids are here?"

Regina kept her expression neutral. "Thirty-four school age and Kimberly McMannon's two."

"Thirty-four?" Emma laughed incredulously. "You could start your own school!"

"Yes… _and_ she decided to send me eight on the last day of term." Andromeda announced, appearing behind them and wrapping an arm around Regina's wait. She leant in and pressed a kiss to her younger sister's temple, displaying a gentle affection that Emma had rarely seen anyone bestow on Regina before. "Not that I would ever complain when she's putting herself in so much danger to keep all this going."

"But you would welcome an extra pair of, adult, hands?" Regina asked her meaningfully.

"I'd be stupid to say otherwise." Her sister replied.

"Say I did." Emma said with a sigh, knowing that the two older witches would take that as an agreement to stay at the safe house. "How would I know what was going on in the outside world?"

"The same way Andromeda does."

"And that is…?"

The sisters exchanged a look. "I return to my home once a day, for appearances' sake and to check whether there's any news. Now that Nymphadora is living with Remus again there's little else to keep me there." Andromeda pointed out calmly, her eyes betraying her true emotions. "Rather than relying on the methods the Order use, Regina and I have formed a much more reliable system to communicate between ourselves, involving a charmed notebook."

"It's rather clever, if I do say so myself." The brunette chuckled. "As well as that, I try to visit at least once a week and send information with students using the portkey."

Looking between the younger witches, Andromeda smiled knowingly. "What do you say to dinner while you consider your options, Miss Swan?"

As her stomach gave a loud rumble at the mention of food, Emma remembered that she had been heading to dinner when she'd left The Burrow. Chuckling, Andromeda led the way towards the dining room and motioned for Emma to take a seat at one of the long benches that stood on either side of each of the four tables. It was strongly reminiscent of the Hogwarts Great Hall before the atmosphere had changed at the castle. The only thing that was missing were the Hogwarts robes and the different colours of the four houses. Added to that, though, was the fact that the teenager were not restricted to sit at certain tables and Emma could see students from each house interacting freely.

"Professor Swan!" Lauren Pope, a sixth year Gryffindor, who was seated between Ebony Melton and Viola Penderghast, sixth year Hufflepuff and Slytherin students respectively, called out in surprise as the blonde entered the room. "What are you doing here?"

"Just visiting." Emma informed her, smiling around at the students. "I'm glad to see you all looking so well! We were worried."

"Oh, yeah… Professor Mills and Mrs Tonks are taking really good care of us." Finley Smith, a second year Ravenclaw, piped up. He beamed at the blonde. "It's great here… no Potions lessons!"

Everyone laughed at the boy's beaming smiled, before Andromeda started bustling around making sure their guests received full Black Rock Farm hospitality. Emma and Regina found themselves seated at a table with a mixture of different students, being questioned eagerly by the teenagers who wanted to know about what was happening to their friends still at Hogwarts. Torn between wanting to tell them the truth and not wanting to upset them, the teachers limited their answers accordingly.

"Sounds like we're better of here, then." A seventh year Hufflepuff, Alex Stebbins, told them with a shrug. "At least we're safe."

Oscar Thompson, a third year Gryffindor, looked at the adults warily. "We are safe here, aren't we?"

Emma nodded firmly. "Yeah, you are… of course you are. But to make doubly sure… I'm going to come and stay here with you for a while."

"You are?" Andromeda asked, slightly surprised by the determined announcement.

"I am." She agreed. "If you'll have me?"

"The more the merrier." The older woman told her sincerely, squeezing Emma's shoulder as she passed.

Another week passed and the date of the return to Hogwarts was almost upon them. Between the three of them, Emma, Regina and Andromeda had decided that Emma should stay at The Burrow until then and then head to Black Rock Farm instead of going back to the school.

The day before the plan was due to unfold, Regina and Emma met at Regina's house. She had returned to ensure that her Protection Spells were still in place and was relieved to find that no one had attempted to gain access to her property while she had been away. It wasn't so much that no one was able to get in, that Regina was glad of, but the fact that no one would be able to get to Emma while she was there.

Since the brunette's realisation that she was becoming more like her mother by keeping everyone she cared about at arm's length, the two had been steadily growing closer. Emma hadn't allowed Regina to cut contact or back away from her again, forcing the older woman to confront her fears and face up to the reality of their relationship. She pointed out that times were dangerous and they needed to make the most of the time they had. Regina had, surprisingly, totally agreed.

Curling up together on the sofa in Regina's living room, Emma ran the backs of her fingers down the brunette's cheek. The intensity of her gaze was making the older woman slightly nervous but, for once, she didn't shy away from it. Instead she gazed back, just as intensely, smiling softly as Emma leant in to kiss her. Allowing her to deepen the kiss, Regina sighed contentedly and wound her fingers through Emma's hair.

"Are you going to miss me?" Emma whispered when they broke apart.

"No."

"Really?" The blonde chuckled. "I don't think I believe you, Ms Mills."

"Maybe I'll miss you a little bit." Regina conceded, sighing again as Emma trailed kisses across her jaw and down her neck.

"Maybe you should come with me?"

"And leave Henry at Hogwarts?" The brunette pulled back and arched an eyebrow at her lover.

"Obviously not." Emma shook her head. "There's plenty of space for Henry at the farm."

"And all the other children?" Regina shook her head. "No, Em, I can't. I have to stay at Hogwarts."

Sighing deeply, Emma pressed a chaste kiss to her lips and held her close, breathing in her scent. "Just be careful, OK? I only just got you back… I can't lose you for good."


	15. Chapter 15

The first month back at Hogwarts after the Christmas holidays passed relatively easily. There was a more subdued atmosphere in the castle and most of those students who had made it their mission to cause trouble for the staff seemed to have lost interest in most of their schemes and plans. Luna Lovegood's absence appeared to have hit the rest of the so-called Dumbledore's Army hard. From what Henry told his mother, Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom were taking her disappearance the hardest.

With things cleared up between Regina and her son, finding information to pass onto her mother was much easier. Henry had been outraged that Cora had been demanding such information, but Regina had calmly explained that it had been the only way she could guarantee he would be left alone by the older witch. Reluctantly, he agreed that it was probably true, before promising her he would do what he could to help.

Emma's absence from the castle had been noted and was causing ripples of unrest amongst the staff and pupils alike. Apart from letting her best friend know that she was safe, Emma had refrained from getting in contact with anyone. She was even reluctant to speak to Regina, other than Regina's visits to Black Rock Farm, not wanting to be the cause of any suspicion that might fall on the older woman. Ruby had approached the Head of Slytherin on the second day of term and demanded to know whether she knew where Emma was, but Regina had fended her off, denying her accusations and telling her that if she had a problem then she should take it either to the Headmaster or the Ministry of Magic.

Plans were stepping up at the Ministry, too. With more and more Muggle-born witches and wizards and those deemed 'blood traitors' on the run, there was less open opposition to the Dark Lord's regime. Regina was battling daily demands from her mother on how to treat those students still left in school and dodging her requests to leave Hogwarts and take up a more prominent position within the Ministry. So far, Regina thought she had managed to avoid being appointed against her will, but she knew that it was only a matter of time before her mother got fed up and drafted her in anyway.

"This is ridiculous." Regina sighed, shaking her head and lowering her voice slightly.

She and Emma were in the hallway of the farmhouse. They had been intending to talk candidly about the situation at hand, but the inclement weather and the fact they were surrounded by curious, and incredibly nosy, teenagers meant that they'd had to limit the topics of their conversation.

Huddling together on the window seat for warmth, the two witches were long past keeping their relationship hidden from those living in the safe house. Without fail, students would disturb them at least every ten minutes during their conversations and, while the interruptions had been to completely innocent exchanges, word had quickly spread about the house that Professor Swan and Professor Mills were very much an item.

"I know, Gina, but you can't openly go against her." Emma soothed her gently. "If your mother even suspects that you are then your life won't be worth living, you know that."

"You have no idea how hard it is at the castle." The brunette told her. "I know I have no right to complain what with everything else that's going on, but I'm constantly looking over my shoulder and jumping at my own shadow. Apart from Henry… everyone else thinks I'm up to something devious. I've never felt so lonely."

"That's the problem, see." Emma deadpanned. "Once you get a taste of life with me, you're ruined."

Swatting at her gently, Regina chuckled. "Watch out or your head will get so big you'll get stuck in the doorways."

Emma laughed and glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner. Then she sighed reluctantly and stroked a strand of hair away from Regina's face. "You'd better get back."

"Great…"

Laughing again, the blonde moved just enough to dislodge then both and received a petulant pout from her girlfriend. Poking her head around the door to the kitchen, where Andromeda was supervising the washing up, Regina called goodbye. She received a chorus in return, all the teenagers armed with dishcloths and sponges waving at her with warm smiles. Chuckling softly, Regina walked towards the door with Emma, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips as they stood on the doorstep.

Watching the brunette walk out into the night, Emma sighed as she always did, wondering whether this time would be the last. It was morbid, she knew, but the blonde wasn't stupid enough to take every moment they spent together for granted. It would only take a tiny indiscretion, a miniscule mistake, for someone to put one foot wrong or make a surprise discovery and everything would come crashing down around their ears.

Regina, too, was finding it harder and harder to leave the safe house and Emma behind each time. She knew that she had to, it was more than just her comfort at stake, but that didn't make the situation any easier. Henry, too, was growing more and more unsettled by the atmosphere at the castle and his mother regularly questioned her decision to keep him there.

Where Professor Dumbledore liked to use the names of various confectionaries as the password to his office, Severus preferred to use the names of potions ingredients. At the woman's firm utterance of, ' _porcupine quills_ ', the gargoyle sprang aside and Regina headed up the spiral staircase, before knocking on the door. She had to wait a couple of moments, before it was thrown open and the face of her best friend glared out at her.

"Regina? What do you want?"

"I… Sev? Are you alright?" She asked in concern, her eyebrows furrowing at him. While Severus' complexion was naturally that of someone who'd spent far too long avoiding sunlight, now he looked worse than ever. "Sev?"

"I'm perfectly fine." He replied in a flat tone. "But I am extremely busy, so…"

"I wanted to talk to you about–"

Severus cut her off abruptly. "I don't have time, Regina… I'm sorry."

As the office door was closed in her face, the witch blinked several times in complete shock. That reaction to her appearance in Severus' private quarters was so far from what she had ever experienced, or been expecting, that she didn't quite know what to do with herself. For several minutes she simply stood on the threshold and stared at the wood just inches from her nose.

Then, pulling herself together, she turned and strode down the stone staircase, glaring at the gargoyle who sprang back to guard the entrance as though it was all his fault. The statue stared back unflinchingly until the woman sighed deeply and turned to storm away along the corridor. She barely noticed where she was going until she found herself standing outside another office door.

Tentatively, Regina knocked and waited for an answer. When she heard a muffled response, the witch pushed open the door and stepped nervously over the threshold, unsure what kind of welcome she would receive.

"Professor McGonagall?" Regina hovered nervously in the older woman's doorway as Minerva looked up enquiringly from her desk. "Can I have a word with you? Please?"

"What's wrong?" There was an icy edge to the Head of Gryffindor's tone as she regarded the brunette.

Taking a deep breath, the younger woman stepped into the room and closed the door firmly behind her. Quickly casting the Muffliato Charm, Regina perched on the edge of the chair on the other side of the desk from Professor McGonagall, leaning forward and almost shaking with nervous energy. Her behaviour intrigued and worried Minerva in equal measure. She watched her for a moment until it became clear that there was something Regina wanted to say, but was reluctant to.

"What's wrong, Regina?" She asked again, this time her tone much gentler.

"I've done something… crazy."

Minerva arched an eyebrow. "Crazy?"

"Dangerous."

"Dangerous?" The Head of Gryffindor echoed. "I think you're going to have to start from the beginning."

Almost as though her words had been enough to break the dam, Regina started talking. Her words tumbled from her, almost as though they couldn't leave her mouth quickly enough. Minerva listened in silence, her fingers steepled together on her desk as she regarded the younger woman with a piercing stare.

"So Professor Swan and Professor Lucas were onto something when they came to me with suspicions that you were involved in the children's disappearances." Minerva mused once Regina had finally come to a stop. "But not for the reason they, or rather Ms Lucas, was expecting."

"No." Regina agreed, already having heard about the two younger witches' meeting with Professor McGonagall. "But I've never been able to hide much from Emma."

"So… you're working alone this end? It all falls on you? The protection of our at-risk students? Outside of what we can do here, that is."

The younger witch laughed mirthlessly. "I'm barely doing anything, Minerva. Nothing's going to change around here unless we do something drastic."

At that it was Minerva's turn to laugh. "Something drastic? What in Merlin's name are you suggesting? A riot?"

"Of course not!" Regina refuted, shaking her head hurriedly. "That would be an incredibly dangerous move. Something more… underhand." When Minerva simply arched an eyebrow at her and motioned for her to continue. "I don't know… maybe we should be encouraging the D.A."

"The D.A.?"

Regina snorted. "Yes, I know about the D.A. My son is a member." She waved aside the older witch's bemusement. "I'm also aware that their enthusiasm seems to have dropped slightly since Miss Lovegood's… absence."

"What are you suggesting?"

"I'm not sure, yet." Regina admitted. "But they would never trust anything that came from me, anyway."

Minerva considered her for a moment, before pushing back her chair and standing up. Rounding her desk, she paused in front of the portrait of Dumbledore that hung on her wall. "Albus may have been an old fool, but I rarely questioned his judgement. When I did, it often turned out that there were extenuating circumstances that I was unaware of and he was right anyway." She smiled fondly at the painting, before turning back to Regina. "Albus truly believed that you were 'a good one'. He refused to hear anything against you. While I was hesitant to take his words as truth for a while, I believe this may be one of the times when he was right, against the odds."

"I promise you, Minerva, I am on your side."

"I very much believe that you are." She nodded.

"So…?"

"We'll see how things pan out before we do anything that might draw attention to ourselves." Minerva suggested. "Perhaps something might… pop up."

Frowning lightly, not really understanding what the older woman might be getting at, Regina nodded. She recognised that she was being dismissed and stood. Removing the Muffliato Charm, she walked towards the door. Pausing with her hand on the handle, Regina turned to look at Minerva, who was watching her thoughtfully.

"Thank you."

Rather than answering, the older witch simply inclined her head towards her colleague, before retaking her seat and shuffling through the essays on her desk. Regina pulled the door gently closed behind her. Leaning against the wall beside the door for a moment, the brunette sighed, letting her eyes slip closed for a moment.

When she opened them, it was just in time to see Neville Longbottom and Michael Corner using their wands to write derogatory slogans the wall at the opposite end of the corridor. Swearing under her breath, Regina pushed away from the surface behind her and almost ran towards the teenage boys. They glanced over their shoulders at the sound of footsteps, lowering their wands immediately.

"Get rid of it, quick." Regina ordered, trying to keep her tone cold rather than panicked.

"Why should we?" Michael demanded.

"If you don't want Professors Snape or Carrow to get involved then I would do as I've asked."

Exchanging a look, the boys seemed to hold some kind of silent conversation, before Neville raised his wand and cast the Scouring Charm, effectively removing the writing with very little effort. Regina didn't even look, not wanting to know what it said. The less she knew, the better as far as she was concerned. If anyone learnt of this incident, she wanted to be able to say that she didn't know what was going on, knowing that her mother wasn't averse to using Veritaserum.

"Get back to the Gryffindor Common Room now." She commanded as soon as the lettering had disappeared.

"Aren't… isn't… aren't you going to punish us?" Neville asked, glancing sideways at his friend in confusion.

Regina arched an eyebrow. "Would you like me to punish you?"

"Well… no, but…"

"Then go."

Not wishing to push their luck, the two seventh years exchanged another look before fleeing in the direction of Gryffindor Tower. Regina sighed deeply, rubbing her eyes tiredly as she considered her next move. Letting Longbottom and Corner off without any form of punishment had been a mistake; she'd known that before the words even left her mouth. Regina, however, couldn't bring herself to regret her actions or do anything to change them. Instead, she turned and stalked away back along the corridor in order to warn the Head of Gryffindor House what two of her elder students had been up to in case they didn't heed her warning and decided to have another go.

* * *

January rolled seamlessly into February and then March. The chill in the air was gradually lessening, but the atmosphere was still decidedly cold. After Regina's leniency, Dumbledore's Army had taken a back seat on the graffiti campaign and Neville had even sent the Head of Slytherin a couple of smiles when they'd passed in the corridors, much to the witch's surprise. Henry had later told her that Neville had mentioned the incident to him privately, telling him that perhaps Regina wasn't quite as bad as the rest. Laughing, the fourteen-year-old had informed his mother that he'd corrected Neville, telling him that she was the worst.

Regina's trips to the safe house had been put on hold for a while after Amycus Carrow had spotted her leaving the castle and demanded to know where she was going. Informing him haughtily that she had a headache and just wanted some air, Regina had been forced to make a lap of the lake before returning to her rooms. After that, she noticed the Carrows watching her more closely and had sent word to her sister and Emma that she would visit when she could.

They, however, were getting on fine at Black Rock Farm. Emma spent part of her time working with those students who wanted to keep up with her studies even while they were in hiding, part of it helping Andromeda running the house and the rest of her time attempting to track down missing witches and wizards. It transpired that she had a talent for tracking people down and the population of the farmhouse had grown even more. Andromeda pretended to curse the blonde every time she returned with exhausted, terrified and hungry witches and wizards in tow, but in reality she was as proud of Emma as if she had been her own flesh and blood.

As the Easter holidays approached, Regina decided that she couldn't face another two weeks in her mother and eldest sister's company. She opted, instead, to stay at Hogwarts, claiming that there was a lot to do before the students returned. Henry wanted to stay with her as well, but his mother wasn't sure whether that was the best option. As far as anyone else knew, they were still not really speaking and she felt that he would be far safer at The Burrow with Molly and Arthur. There, at least, he wouldn't run the risk of running into Cora or Bellatrix or anyone else Regina was attempting to keep Henry away from and he would be surrounded by powerful witches and wizards who were members of the Order of the Phoenix at all times.

"Why?" Henry whined petulantly for about the twelfth time since his mother had put her foot down about her decision to send him to the Weasleys' for the holidays.

"You love spending time with Molly and Arthur." Regina reasoned, determined to steer clear of her real reasons. "Tonks will be there and so will the twins and Ginny. You'll have a much better time there than here with me. All I'm going to be doing is marking essays, planning for next term and thinking about an action plan to get my fourth and sixth years through their exams."

"You just want to send me off somewhere safer." The boy complained, folding his arms and scowling at his mother. "I'm not a little kid, Mom."

"I know that, sweetheart." Regina told him firmly. "I am well aware that you're not my little baby anymore. But you are my son and I will do what I feel is best for you and your safety. I… I don't want you here, with me, in case…"

"You think something's going to happen? To you?"

"No, Henry! No!" The witch leapt to reassure him, grasping his hand tightly in hers. "I'll be fine. I'll be safer if I don't have to keep an eye on you all the time."

"Mom…"

She smiled, pulling him into her for a tight hug. "Please, Henry. For me?"

"I suppose if I'm with the Order I can keep an ear open for information…" He reasoned slowly, apparently coming round to the idea. Regina smiled, glad that his face was still pressed into her shoulder and he couldn't see her expression. "OK, Mom. As long as you promise to be careful."

"Of course I promise."

"Mom… where's Emma?"

"I don't know, sweetheart." She lied instinctively. "She went into hiding… it's safer that I don't know. But if I do know one thing, it's that Emma is safe. She's clever and she's resourceful and she's a powerful witch. She'll be OK."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Nodding in acceptance, the boy gave his mother a final hug, before heading out of her office to pack his things. Regina escorted the students down to the train station with the rest of the staff, meeting her son's eyes as he climbed aboard the Hogwarts Express with his friends. He didn't wave and neither did she, but they did exchange a small, secret smile.

Doing their duty and waiting until the train had left the station, the teachers made their way slowly back up to the castle. Severus went ahead with the Carrows, sweeping up the long driveway to the castle and leaving the rest of the staff to walk behind them in their wake. No one seemed particularly keen to walk with Regina, not that she could blame them, so she walked alone. Wrapping her arms around herself, the brunette made her way back towards the castle slowly, deep in thought.

Ruby, still blaming the older witch for Emma's disappearance, barged her with her shoulder as she passed, not pausing to apologise. Regina sighed deeply because, although they had never been friends, they had reached a state of civility because of the blonde that they both cared about. She had worked so hard to gain the acceptance of everyone that Emma loved, not that she had got it from everyone, but all that was gone now and Regina had no one to blame but herself.


	16. Chapter 16

"Professor Mills?" Minerva poked her head around the door to the Head of Slytherin's office a couple of days before the end of the Easter holidays, seeing the woman at her desk pouring over essays that the Head of Gryffindor guessed had been handed in at the end of the last term but Regina hadn't had the chance to look at until then. "Can I have a word?"

"Of course, Professor McGonagall." The younger woman nodded, putting down her quill and motioning for her to take a seat. "How can I help you?"

As soon as the door was closed, Regina cast the Muffliato Spell while Minerva magically locked it to prevent them being interrupted. Smiling and offering her colleague a glass of Firewhisky, which was gratefully accepted as the two women seated themselves in front of the fireplace. They sat in companionable silence for a moment, each sipping their drinks, before Minerva cleared her throat and turned to look at the younger witch carefully. She seemed to be weighing up the woman, determining how she would react to the information she had brought her.

"You were aware that the Malfoy's were playing host to some… guests?"

Regina's countenance darkened. "I am…"

"Well… it appears that there have been some… surprises." Minerva informed her guardedly. The younger woman looked at her in confusion, her eyes narrowing as she tried to make sense of her words. "Potter and his friends."

"What?" Regina's mouth dropped open as she realised what that might mean. Her eyes searched Minerva's almost desperately. "What happened? Is… are…?"

"I'm not sure of the details, Regina; I only know what Mr Longbottom has told me. There was some kind of rescue and Miss Lovegood, Mr Thomas and some unspecified others have been taken to a safe house."

"I'm sorry… I don't understand." Shaking her head, the younger woman tried to get her head around what she was hearing. "How did Neville…?"

"Apparently members of the D.A. carry special coins that allow them to communicate with each other. It seems that Mr Longbottom received a message from Miss Lovegood on his coin."

"How did he–?"

"I don't know, Regina." Minerva admitted. "I would suggest you question Mr Longbottom yourself, but–"

"He doesn't trust me." Regina nodded, seeing the problem at once. "I can't ask my sister for information, without raising suspicions. We'll just have to wait and see whether Narcissa choses to enlighten me."

"What about your mother or Bellatrix?"

Regina snorted. "I severely doubt it." She shook her head. "No, if I hear about this from anyone, it'll be Narcissa. I know she was just as uncomfortable as I was about the situation at Malfoy Manor."

"And you'll–"

"Of course," she smiled, "I'll let you know what she says. Can I tempt you with another, Minerva?"

"Just a small one." Minerva agreed, inclining her head and accepting the tumbler from her colleague. "Are you ready for the students' return?"

"I… I think so." The younger witch agreed. "It's a lot of pressure… I mean, the older students sitting their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s… I just hope I don't fail them…"

"Let's just hope we get to the exams." Professor McGonagall sighed, looking at her meaningfully.

"We owe it to the students to keep things as normal as possible. After everything…"

"I know."

"Any thoughts on how we can actually get something done, yet?"

Minerva sighed and shook her head. "No…"

"Another?" They both looked at the empty tumblers clutched in their hands, realising that they were empty already.

"I shouldn't, really."

Regina chuckled. "Neither should I, but I am."

Minerva laughed too, holding out her glass as the younger woman carried the decanter over to the sofa and settled herself back on the cushions. Using the opportunity to look at her properly, the Head of Gryffindor was concerned to see how much toll her situation was taking on Regina. Dressed simply in jeans and a t-shirt with her hair tied back form her face, presumably to keep it out of her eyes as she perused the essays on her desk, Regina looked younger and more innocent than normal. She also, without her usual makeup, looked exhausted.

"How are you, Regina?" The older witch asked gently.

"I'm fine."

Arching an eyebrow, Minerva shook her head. "You're not fine, dear. Please don't try to fool me."

"I'm worried." She admitted with a sigh. "For Henry and Emma… Professor Swan…"

Sending her a knowing look, the older woman snorted. "I'm not blind, Regina. I'm well aware that you and Emma Swan were in a relationship." Seeing the incredulous look passing over the younger woman's face, she smiled weakly. "Where is Emma? Do you know?"

"No."

"Really?"

"OK… maybe I have an idea but… it's not safe."

"Quite." Minerva agreed with a nod. "As long as you have some idea."

"I would tell you, but…"

"It's safer not to?" The older witch mused. "Or perhaps you know more than you're letting on?"

Regina chuckled. "Maybe after a few more of these I'll let you in on my secrets."

They both laughed as the Head of Slytherin shook her tumbler carefully at her friend. For a couple of minutes they sat in thoughtful silence, staring at the roaring fire in the grate and sipping slowly at the liquid in their glasses. Perhaps because it was their third, the burning in their throats as the Firewhisky slipped down had less of a kick, or perhaps it was because both were preoccupied by their thoughts.

"Were you aware that Albus had a brother? A younger brother?"

"I had heard some talk of it, yes. Wasn't there some trouble with a goat?"

Minerva snorted. "It was a mountain made out of a molehill. But Aberforth, Albus' brother, owns the pub The Hog's Head in Hogsmeade." She looked at Regina seriously. "There are, or rather were, rumours of a tunnel connecting the pub to Hogwarts."

"Are you sure?"

"I am. Albus mentioned it a couple of times, but as it had never been discovered I believe it has fallen into the realm of legend."

"Are you suggesting that we find it?" Regina queried, wondering whether she was on the right lines.

"Perhaps speaking to Aberforth about it would be beneficial." Minerva agreed.

"You want me to do it?" The younger witch read between the lines and interpreted the look that her colleague was sending her. Exhaling sharply, she nodded. "Fine, I'll go tomorrow."

That was why, late the next afternoon, after finally finishing her marking, Regina headed away from the castle in the direction of Hogsmeade. Minerva had gone to her office just before she left and talked her through the best way to deal with the wizard the younger woman was going to visit. Regina had wondered whether Aberforth Dumbledore could really be as cantankerous as the older witch was making out, but apparently every time Minerva had met him he had been as grumpy, if not grumpier, than the time before.

Passing the invisible boundary that separated the school grounds from the village beyond, Regina paused, before continuing into the settlement. She kept her head down as she walked, not wanting to bump into anyone or be drawn into conversation with anyone.

Hesitating for a moment, Regina stood on the threshold of The Hog's Head, considering her next move. She didn't want to go inside and yet that was the only reason she was here. Minerva had pointed out that if Aberforth realised who he was dealing with straight away it would go down better than if he found out later. While she couldn't deny that was probably true, it didn't put the brunette any more at ease.

"You're not welcome here."

Taken aback by the vehement words that met her ears as soon as she pushed through the door, Regina blinked and faltered in her step as she looked towards the bar. Killian Jones was standing behind it, his arms folded across his chest and his eyes narrowed as he scowled furiously at her. Neal Cassidy stood beside him, less angry, but apparently equally determined that she didn't stay in the pub. Steeling herself, not letting her anxiety show on her face, Regina arched an eyebrow at them.

"Lucky for you I'm not planning on staying long."

"You're not staying at all, love."

"Right…" Regina looked around and then laughed derisively. "Who's going to stop me?"

As Killian moved as though he was planning to round the bar, Regina raised her wand and flicked it in his direction causing him to stop in his tracks, clutching at his throat as he realised he was unable to speak. When Neal didn't make any move towards her, she rolled her eyes. She knew enough of Killian and Neal to know that the shorter of the two men was less impulsive than his friend and tended to use his words to reason with others, rather than act rashly.

"What do you want?" He asked calmly, staring intently at her, throwing out an arm to stop Killian moving.

"I've come to speak to your boss." She replied cooly. "Is he in?"

Neal motioned over his shoulder. "He's out back… boss?"

There was a slight pause and then the door the barman had pointed to opened and a tall, thick-set elderly man appeared. He stared at her carefully for a moment, before he raised an eyebrow and tilted his head slightly. Aberforth's eyes trailed over her for a couple of moments, almost as though he were sizing her up, before he nodded slowly.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Regina Mills."

Regina smiled weakly at the centenarian who was regarding her across the bar with a mixture of interest and suspicion. She could see his brother in him; the piercing blue eyes and the tiny hint of a smile that seemed to be playing around his lips.

"Mr Dumbledore."

"Aberforth, please." He corrected, leaning on the surface between them. "What can I do for you?"

"Is there anywhere a little less… conspicuous?" She asked in a low voice.

"Can you release my barman from your Silencing Charm, please?"

With a sigh she waved her wand again. "Better?"

"You bitch! I'm–"

Aberforth cut across the barman as he started complaining loudly. "Thank you. Now…"

Considering her for a moment, the man nodded. He motioned for the Neal to take over and jerked his head towards a door that led to a backroom. Following him quickly, Regina closed the door behind them and then paused, suddenly unsure of herself. As Aberforth continued to stare at her, clearly enjoying having a member of the Black-Mills family in such a situation, it was evident that he had no intention of making her feel comfortable.

Taking another step into the room, Regina allowed her eyes to roam over the furniture and decoration slowly, giving herself time to settle her nerves and collect her thoughts.

"Minerva McGonagall sent me." She informed him at last, making sure to keep her tone even. "She thought that you could help us."

"Help you? Help you how?" He narrowed his eyes. "From what I've heard you and Minerva aren't even on the same side."

"That's… that's for appearance sake." Regina informed him.

"Appearance sake? You playing a double bluff?"

"I suppose that's one way of putting it." She agreed with a curt nod. "So? Will you help us?"

"What do you expect me to do?" Aberforth queried, settling himself in a worn looking armchair and folding his arms. He regarded her with a closed expression as she stared back, equally guardedly.

Pausing for a moment, the woman glanced towards a framed painting of a young girl. "Word has it that you have a way of entering the castle completely undetected."

"Word might be right." He acknowledged. "But word might also be wrong."

Exhaling sharply, Regina steeled herself. "I understand that you don't trust me. That's fine. But this isn't about me."

"It's not? I thought with you lot everything was about _you_."

"What 'lot' are you referring to, Mr Dumbledore?" She enquired, arching an eyebrow at him. "Death Eaters?"

"The Black family."

Regina scowled. "I am not part of that family. I am a Mills."

"Not much better, really."

Clenching her jaw, the brunette witch inhaled sharply. "Mr Dumbledore…"

"Aberforth."

"Aberforth…" She corrected, balling her hands into fists at her sides as she struggled to stay calm. "Is there a tunnel between here and Hogwarts Castle?"

"Perhaps."

Almost screaming in frustration, Regina gripped the back of the armchair in front of her tightly. "OK… let's say, hypothetically, that there is a tunnel running between here and the castle, would you, hypothetically, know where the entrances of that tunnel are?"

"Perhaps."

"Aberforth…" Regina smiled tightly. "Things at the castle are getting worse. The existence of the tunnel would be a great help to us."

"I will bear that in mind when I think about whether I know about the tunnel." He assured her. The mischievous glint in his eyes and the hint of a smirk around his lips was doing little to keep the brunette witch's blood pressure down. "Is that all you wanted?"

"Yes." She agreed, sighing deeply. "No… Mr Dumbl– Aberforth, I need to ask you a favour. Please do not mention what I told you about speaking to Minerva or–"

"Or being a double agent? Playing both sides?"

"Quite. It wouldn't be… helpful."

"Your secret is safe with me." He promised, standing and motioning towards the door that led back through to the pub.

"Thank you." Regina said softly, sending him a grateful smile.

Nodding sharply, she moulded her expression into one of disdain and waited for him to open the door. Stepping out of the backroom, Regina strode towards the doors without sparing Killian or Neal a second look. They were staring between their boss and the woman, clearly wondering what they could possibly have been talking about and why the witch was now storming out with a thunderous expression on her face.

"Oh, Ms Mills?" Aberforth called.

Turning to look over her shoulder, Regina saw that he was leaning against the bar again, a smirk firmly on his face. "Yes?"

"Tell Cora I said hello… tell her I'll see her in hell."

Stiffening at the mention of her mother, Regina didn't need to force herself to scowl at him; it came naturally. Spinning on her heels, she slammed her way through the door, not bothering to apologise to the diminutive wizard she almost knocked to the ground as she barged past him. Minerva had been right in her description of Dumbledore's brother and Regina was determined that the next time they needed to speak to him it would be the older witch doing the talking, not her.


	17. Chapter 17

"Regina!"

The brunette faltered in her step at the surprisingly feminine voice calling after her along the street and demanding her attention. Turning, the witch frowned lightly at the sight of her sister picking her way carefully along the uneven cobbled street towards her, pointedly ignoring the witches and wizards who were looking at them warily. Apparently one of Cora Black-Mills' daughters was one thing, but two of them in the same place was something to be feared.

"Narcissa?"

"I need to speak to you." The older woman said in a low voice. "It's important… it's about Henry."

Her interest piqued by the mention of her son, Regina nodded slowly. "Go on."

"Not here. Can we speak at the school?"

"Of course." The brunette agreed, even more intrigued by the need for privacy.

They headed back to Hogwarts quickly, not speaking until they had shut themselves away in Regina's office down in the dungeons. Minerva had descended the staircase at the sound of the Head of Slytherin entering the castle but, spotting the older witch following her sister across the flagstone floor, she changed direction and stalked past them into the Great Hall. Glancing over her shoulder as she reached the double doors, Minerva met Regina's eyes, sending her a questioning look. The brunette ushered her sister through the door that led down to the dungeon corridors, before nodding sharply at her friend.

"Well, what's the matter, Ciss?" Regina asked as they settled themselves on her sofa.

"You remember that we were playing host to the wandmaker and the others at the Manor?" Narcissa asked quickly, receiving a nod in response. "A gang of Snatchers located Potter and his friends. They brought them to us and… there was an unfortunate incident."

"What kind of unfortunate incident?"

"They escaped."

Regina's eyebrows shot towards her hairline. "What?"

"Oh, don't, Gina." The older woman sighed, frowning at her. "Mother and Bella have already had their say; although it was really Bellatrix's fault more than ours…"

Knowing that Narcissa only used their elder sister's full name when she was irritated with her, Regina didn't comment. "What does this have to do with my son?"

"Molly Weasley's youngest son was one of those who staged the rescue." Narcissa told her bluntly. "There's going to be a retaliation."

"What?" The younger witch breathed in complete disbelief. "I know what Mother and Bella's retaliations are like… you can't seriously be–"

"No, Gina, I'm not happy about it but what can I do?"

Regina let out a long breath. "OK, so you think I should ask them to bring Henry back as soon as possible?"

"I do… it's for the best."

Nodding, thinking deeply, Regina stood and walked across to her desk. She scribbled a short note asking the Weasleys to bring her son back to Hogwarts immediately, citing a family crisis as the reason. An idea occurring to her suddenly, Regina scribbled a second note, concealing it carefully in her pocket, before sealing the message that she wanted to send. Telling her sister she would only be a minute, the witch made her way to the Slytherin Common room and requested one of the sixth year prefects take her note up to the Owlery and send it for her. She pointed out to the boy that she didn't need to remind him how important her correspondence was.

Returning to her office, Regina settled herself on the sofa beside her sister. They maintained a friendly conversation for a while, both of them content to talk about safe, mundane matters and stay away from more provocative topics. Neither of them wanted to talk about the dark days that they were living through. Neither of them wanted to be forced to think about what might be ahead for them and those they loved, whichever side they might be on. Instead they discussed whether Draco would pass his N.E.W.T.s with flying colours and what he might do once he left Hogwarts. They discussed Henry's ambitions to be Ravenclaw Quidditch captain one day and whether he would be made a prefect the following year. Neither allowed themselves to consider that their sons might not have a choice in their futures.

"I'd better be getting home." Narcissa announced at last, standing and brushing invisible dust off her robes. "Lucius gets… uneasy… if I'm away too long."

"Give my love to Draco." Regina requested. Neither of them mentioned the fact she hadn't asked about their mother or eldest sister during their conversation.

"And give mine to Henry."

"I'll see you soon, Ciss."

"Stay out of trouble, Gina." Narcissa almost pleaded. "Don't do anything stupid."

"I won't." Regina assured her, smiling at the concerned expression on her sister's face.

Pressing a kiss to the older woman's cheek, Regina wrapped her arms around herself and watched from the castle steps as Narcissa headed away towards Hogsmeade so that she could Apparate home. Just as she was about to turn and head back to her office, the brunette spotted two figures heading towards her. They paused as they passed Narcissa, all three glancing up towards the castle, before resuming their original paths.

Regina felt a tightening in her chest as she realised that the two figures walking towards her were Henry and Arthur Weasley. She took a stuttered breath and then turned, walking back into the Entrance Hall and arranging her features into a more appropriate expression for the situation.

"Regina, Severus wants to see you in the–"

"Can this wait, Alecto?" She snapped, her nerves unable to take any more.

"No, it–"

The door opened and Henry stepped through, Arthur on his heels. The older wizard looked reluctant to leave the teenager alone, sending Regina a sharp look as she stepped forwards towards her son. Ignoring him, she smiled broadly at her son.

"Henry!" It took Regina a moment to remember the part he was playing and understand the way he was hanging back, not greeting her with his usual enthusiasm. "How was your holiday? I hope you thanked Mr and Mrs Weasley."

"Of course I did." He muttered, almost sulkily.

"Come here, Henry." She commanded, almost falling for the act and stumbling over her words before calming herself. Wrapping him in a tight hug, she pushed her hastily scribbled second note into the pocket of his hoody and lowered her voice to a barely audible whisper. "There's a note for Arthur in your pocket. I need you to slip it to him without anyone seeing. It's very important."

"What is it?" Henry whispered back.

"I'll explain later, I promise."

Pulling away, Henry pushing his hands into his hoody pocket for a moment as he turned to face Mr Weasley, who was frowning at Regina with suspicion. Glancing towards his mother, who was smiling softly at him and pointedly ignoring the man standing opposite them, the fourteen-year-old jerked his shoulders upwards.

"Can I say goodbye?"

"If you want to." Regina replied guardedly.

Pulling his hand out of his pocket, Henry walked back towards Arthur Weasley, holding out his hand to shake the older wizard's. Widening his eyes slightly as they made contact, Henry urged him not to make any comment about the folded slip of parchment that he had passed over. Getting the hint, Arthur simply nodded and smiled at the teenager, pushing his hands into the pockets of his robes in an awkward move.

"If there's nothing else I…" He started before Regina cut him off in a disinterested tone.

"You can go."

"Mom!" Henry chastised her, unable to stop himself.

Aware of other eyes on them, Regina glared at him. "Enough, Henry. Go and unpack your things."

Sending her a confused, almost hurt look, the teenager headed away quickly, taking the steps of the Grand Staircase two at a time. Regina's heart sank, but she was forced to keep her mask in place as she turned to look coldly at the redheaded wizard who was still hanging around in the Entrance Hall, despite having been dismissed. Despite knowing that it was not Arthur's fault, Regina couldn't help her temper flaring at the almost gormless expression on his face.

"Is there something else I can help you with?" She snapped irritably.

"No, I…"

"Then I suggest you leave."

Turning quickly, the click of her heels on the flagstone floor signalled her retreat to her office in the dungeons and the slamming of the castle door told her that Arthur Weasley had left. She paused with her hand on the doorknob of the dungeon door, listening to the Carrows talking in low voices, before turning and fixing them with hard stares.

"Is there a problem, here?" She asked in a low, dangerous voice.

"What do you know, Regina?" Amycus asked, stepping forward and closer to her. His sister followed, looking at her curiously. "You obviously know something that made you send for your son."

"I missed him, that's all." She retorted briskly. "If you think there's something more, you're welcome to ask my mother."

As they shrank back slightly, away from Regina, she nodded sharply and continued down to the dungeons. Pausing for a moment beside the doorway, the witch waited until they had disappeared from view and then stepped back into the Entrance Hall. She traced Henry's steps up the Grand Staircase, heading in the direction of the Ravenclaw Tower.

With the vast majority of the students still at home for the holidays, the corridors were deserted as she made her way towards the West side of the castle and the spiral staircase on the fifth floor that led up to the Ravenclaw Common Room. Pausing in front of the door, she automatically reached for the handle before remembering that there wasn't one. Sighing in exasperation at herself, she gazed at the Eagle knocker and waited for it to ask the riddle which, if answered correctly, would allow her access to the room beyond.

"If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you haven't got me. What am I?" The Eagle asked suddenly, its voice making her jump as it broke the silence.

Regina hesitated for a moment, pondering the puzzle. Then she nodded decisively. "A secret."

As the door swung open, allowing her access, the brunette smirked to herself. She strode in, spotting Henry sitting on one of the padded benches beneath one of the many windows that lined the walls of the Common Room, staring out over the grounds. The window he had chosen had a view over the lawns down to the hut that belonged to the groundskeeper and Professor Lupin's occasional Care of Magical Creatures colleague.

"Henry?" Regina murmured softly, not wanting to surprise him.

His eyes found hers immediately, the question in them clear. "What's going on?"

"Are we likely to be disturbed here?" She asked quietly, indicating the room around them.

"No… there's no one else here."

Nodding slowly, Regina wet her lips before sitting down beside her son. She crossed her legs, smoothing down her skirt almost nervously. Finding a loose thread, her fingers began playing with it almost of their own accord. Henry watched her wordlessly as his mother struggled to formulate a sentence to explain what was going on without worrying him more than was necessary.

"Mom?"

"Potter, Granger and Weasley were taken to Aunt Narcissa's house by a gang of Snatchers." Regina informed him carefully. When he opened his mouth to exclaim at the news, she held up a hand. "Let me finish and then you can talk." She promised him gently. "They managed to escape, taking the prisoners being held there with them. I don't know where they are, but I know they're safe… Professor McGonagall had a message from Luna Lovegood, via Neville Longbottom."

"You're working with Professor McGonagall?"

"That note I gave you for Arthur was a warning," she continued, ignoring his question, "about a possible retaliation for Ron's part in the rescue. I've advised him to take his family somewhere more secure than The Burrow, somewhere the Death Eaters would never consider looking for them."

"You're trying to help them." Henry pointed out, grinning at her. Then his face fell slightly. "Will they believe you're trying to help? Will they do what you suggested?"

"I don't know, Henry." Regina admitted. "Obviously I hope they will, but I honestly don't know."

"Maybe you should ask Emma to tell them."

His mother arched an eyebrow at him. "I don't know where Emma is."

"You do." He rolled his eyes at her. "You'd be way more worried about her if you didn't. You know where Emma is and you know that she's safe."

"Henry–"

"Mom, I'm nearly fifteen. I'm not stupid and I'm not a kid." Henry reminded her, slightly amused by her attempts to keep him in the dark. "Where is Emma?"

In an attempt to avoid answering the question, Regina stood up quickly. "I need to speak to Minerva. I said that I would let her know how my meeting with… I need to speak to her."

"Your meeting with who?"

"No one important, Henry." She assured him, leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead. "Be good, unpack and I'll see you later."

* * *

Arthur kept the note Henry had passed him clutched tightly in his hand as he strode down the path that led to Hogsmeade. He didn't as much as glance at it as he Apparated to the edge of his home, before striding through the protective enchantments and entering the house. Only when he was sitting at the kitchen table with Molly, the folded parchment on the surface between them, did he smooth it out and start reading.

' **Molly and Arthur,**

**I know that I'm the last person you** **expected** **or wanted to receive a message from. I can't apologise enough for what you must think I did and I won't even attempt to. I deserve neither your forgiveness nor your understanding. I can't tell you much; all I can say is that I have never wavered in my loyalties.**

**The reason for my note is simple; Ron helped release some prisoners from my sister and brother-in-law's house. I've heard that there may be some form of retaliation and I wanted to advise you to leave your home and go somewhere more secure where you will not be found. I'm not sure whether I will be able to speak to you again, but I will do my best to contact those who might be able to.**

**Thank you for your kindness to Henry.**

**Regina'**

Glancing at her husband, Molly shook her head. "I believe her."

"Molly, you can't just–"

"I believe her, Arthur." She repeated. "I was never easy with the idea that she would turn on us… turn on Tonks and Emma. Regina would never leave Henry here with us if she was on the opposite side of this war."

"But she–"

"She carried on doing what she did before Dumbledore died. She put herself at risk to get information for us about what they're planning." The woman reminded her husband. "I think we should take her warning seriously. If Regina was willing to risk breaking her cover to warn us then it must be dangerous."

"OK… where should we go? Bill and Fleur's?" Arthur suggested worriedly. He pushed back his chair and moved to the bottom of the stairs. "Ginny? Fred? George? Can you come down here, please?"

Molly shook her head at him. "Arthur! We shouldn't get the children involved until we know where we're going!"

"They have a right to know they could be in trouble, Molly." He told her firmly. "They're sensible and they might have a suggestion."

"What about Aunt Muriel's?" His wife said thoughtfully. "She's got a big enough house and I doubt anyone would think of it. Aunt Muriel is hardly top of anyone's suspect list… she's a hundred and seven, for goodness sake!"

"I'll let you drop that bombshell on them." Arthur chuckled as they heard footsteps thundering down the stairs. "I'll go and let Bill know what's happening."

"I bet Regina knows where Emma is!" Molly called after him in a knowing tone. "I bet she knows exactly where she is."

Her husband chuckled, hearing the meaning in her tone. "I'm sure you're right, dear."


	18. Chapter 18

The evening after Henry's return, Regina headed to Wales to visit the safe house. She crossed the scrubby grass that covered the uneven ground and stepped through the invisible barrier, thinking about the building that she knew was on the other side. By the time Regina reached the door of the farmhouse the walls had rebuilt themselves and the soft glow from the other side of the frosted glass cast a comforting light over the concrete yard.

"Regina." Andromeda pulled her into a tight hug on the doorstep, before ushering her inside and closing the door firmly behind them. "You've just missed dinner, but if you're hungry–"

"No, no." She shook her head and smiled warmly. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Emma's in her room." The older woman informed her knowingly.

"Oh, no, I–"

Andromeda chuckled. "Don't be silly, I know you come to see me too. Emma's in her room."

Reaching out and squeezing her sister's forearm, Regina nodded and wandered along the hallway. She poked her head around the various doors that lined the walls, greeting the inhabitants cheerfully and pausing a while to speak to those who struck up a conversation with her. It took her longer than normal to find the blonde, unable to bring herself to end the exchanges she was drawn into.

Finally she found herself on the third floor outside the room that Emma had made her own. Raising a hand, she rapped sharply on the wood with the backs of her knuckled and waited for the door to be opened. Initially she was greeted with a confused frown, but then a bright smile blossomed over her girlfriend's face.

"Gi!" Emma cupped the brunette's jaw and pressed their lips together. "What are you doing here?"

"If I'm not wanted, I'll–"

"Don't be stupid." Pulling her inside by the hand, Emma closed the door behind them to give them some privacy and led her over to sit on the bed. "I didn't think you would manage to make it here for another week at least."

"I wanted to tell you what's happened before you found out from someone else." Regina informed her, ignoring the warmth spreading from where the blonde's hand was resting lightly on her thigh. "Potter, Granger and Weasley were captured by a gang of Snatchers and taken to Malfoy Manor. They managed to escape, along with the other prisoners being held there; Mr Ollivander, Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas and a goblin by the name of Griphook."

Emma furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head slowly, trying to get her mind around what Regina was saying. "What?"

"Mmm… I don't know where they are, but they're safe and well. Neville Longbottom told Minerva that he'd had a message from Luna to reassure him that they were fine."

"That's not gonna go down well."

Regina shook her head and let out a derisive snort. "Narcissa came to warn me that there was a plan to retaliate. The easiest targets were the Weasleys, so I sent a message demanding Henry's return to Hogwarts."

"But then…"

"I warned Arthur and Molly about a possible attack… whether they heeded my warning or believed it, I don't know." Regina sighed. "There's been no word that they've been targeted, though."

"That explains this, then…" Emma stood and walked across to the chest of drawers in the corner of her room and pulled open the top drawer. Holding out a folded piece of parchment in the older woman's direction, the blonde settled herself on the blanket once more. "It arrived at Dromeda's house sometime between her visits yesterday and this morning. We didn't really understand it, but after what you've said it makes sense."

' **We've left TB for somewhere more secure. Don't go there. Not safe. AW.'**

"Have you passed on the message to Dora and the others who may go to The Burrow?" Regina asked curiously.

"Not yet, because we didn't really understand it." Emma admitted, almost sheepishly. "We can now, though."

"Good. I think it's best to do it as soon as possible so that–"

The door was flung open dramatically and a Hufflepuff third year stood in the doorway, her eyes widening at the sight of both Professors sitting side by side on the bed. "Umm… sorry, Professors… it's just… Potterwatch is on. Password's Albus."

"Thanks, Indira." Emma smiled warmly as the girl retreated. She slid off the bed and fiddled with the radio on top of the chest of drawers. "Albus."

The radio crackled into life, the unmistakable voice of Lee Jordan meeting their ears as Emma slid back onto the bed beside her girlfriend, the device cradled on her lap. They listened in silence as he spoke, knowing that the broadcast was always started with a list of those witches and wizards who were missing or dead.

"… let's take a moment to report those deaths that the Wizarding Wireless Network News and Daily Prophet don't think important enough to mention. It is with great regret that we inform our listeners of the murders of Ted Tonks and–"

"No!" Regina heard the scream from downstairs at the same time as her disbelief was vocalised.

Without thinking, the brunette shot off Emma's bed and sprinted from the room. She skidded around the corner and leapt down the staircase, heading instinctively for the kitchen in search of her sister. Students, who were fussing over her, surrounded Andromeda who looked incredibly pale. One girl set a glass of water beside her on the table as Regina pushed through the teenagers and knelt in front of her sister, taking her hand in hers.

"Dromeda… Drom?"

"I can't… I can't believe it…"

"I know, I know…" Kneeling up, Regina pulled Andromeda into her arms, holding her tightly as the older woman finally gave in to her tears.

Emma quietly ushered the students out of the kitchen and closed the door, leaving the sisters alone to grieve in peace. There was a hushed atmosphere over the farmhouse after the announcement. Most of the inhabitants had gathered in the sitting room to listen to the rest of the broadcast, while Maribella and her elder daughter went to see whether they could help Regina with her grieving sister.

As time ticked on, Emma barely registered the rest of the Potterwatch broadcast, only taking note of the new password at the end out of habit. As the static sound of dead air filled the room, someone switched the radio off and stillness fell once more. No one spoke, afraid of breaking the silence. They could still hear the sobbing from the kitchen and it made them all realise just how fragile life really was. Mortality hadn't crossed most of their minds before; they'd been hidden away before things got too dangerous. The death of someone so closely connected to them came as a hard blow.

"I think an early night is a good idea." Emma suggested finally, her voice sounding wrong as it broke through the stillness.

Mumbling goodnight to the blonde witch, most of the assembled teenagers headed upstairs to their dormitory bedrooms. Instinctively Emma knew that there would be none of the usual chattering and night-time wandering around the hallways that night.

Making her way towards the kitchen, she paused with her hand on the wooden panel, waiting to see if there was any sound from inside that would give her some indication as to what was going on on the other side of the door. Turning the handle, Emma peered inside, spotting Regina placing the kettle on the hob while Maribella and Kimberley sat with Andromeda.

Turning, Regina met Emma's gaze and smiled weakly. Her eyes looked much more tired than they had just half an hour earlier when they'd been sitting together in the blonde's room. Emma sent her a soft smile and made to back out of the room, but Regina shook her head and motioned for her to join them.

"Mari, can you help me get her to bed?" Regina asked the older woman softly. "Kim, can you bring some tea up?"

Both women nodded, following the brunette witch's directions. Emma hung back, feeling useless, as they moved around the room. Regina and Maribella supported the still sobbing witch towards the staircase, helping her up the steps and towards her bedroom. Waiting for them to return, Emma busied herself finishing the tidying up that Andromeda had been in the middle of when she'd heard the terrible news about her husband.

"Emma…"

Turning at the exhausted tone of her girlfriend's voice, the blonde found Regina crossing the room quickly towards her and opened her arms in readiness. Falling into them, the brunette allowed her own tears to fall, burrowing her face into the crook of Emma's neck and clinging on tightly. Just as their own mortality had finally occurred to most of the teenagers living in the farmhouse, it appeared that the full force of reality had just hit Regina.

"I'm so sorry, love." Emma whispered into her hair. "I am so, so sorry."

"Andromeda is going to need a lot of help." The brunette said, pulling back and wiping away her tears. "I'm sorry to ask, but–"

"Whatever she needs, I'll be here." The younger witch promised, knowing that Regina was reverting to her more business-like persona in order to get through the current events. "Regina, you don't have to ask. I want to help."

"Thank you."

Emma cupped her face gently, her eyes locking with Regina's. "Don't thank me. I love you. She's your sister. Of course I'm going to help, however I can."

* * *

Regina was relieved, rather than surprised, when the summer term started and there was no sign of Ginny Weasley. She hoped that, considering she hadn't heard anything about an attack, the Weasleys had followed her advice and gone into hiding. Henry was sure that they would have listened to what she had to say and done as she'd suggested, but the woman wasn't quite so sure that they would be thinking positively about her.

Ginny's absence didn't mean that things had died down at the school, though. Neville Longbottom and Michael Corner seemed determined to keep the D.A. at the forefront of everyone's minds and Regina was running out of patience. With the exams looming she didn't have the time to run around after them and keep them out of trouble. Minerva shared her frustration but, however many times they spoke to the teenagers, they seemed determined to get themselves into trouble.

"Mom?" Henry burst into Regina's office one evening a couple of weeks after his return to Hogwarts, breathing heavily as though he'd run all the way. "You need to come, now!"

Staring at him for a moment, the witch leapt into action. She followed him up to the Entrance Hall where she could hear a commotion. Pushing her way through the assembled students who had also been drawn to the spectacle, Regina found herself staring at the Carrow twins who were supporting Michael Corner between them.

Gasping slightly, the Head of Slytherin was shocked to see the state of the teenager. He had a split lip and his face was swollen and bloody, as though he had been physically attacked. Michael's head was lolling forward, as though he didn't have the energy to hold it up for himself and Regina had no doubt that if the Carrows let go of his arms, the boy would have crumpled to the ground.

Anger flared up inside her and she stepped forward determinedly, her eyes flashing dangerously. "What in Merlin's name is going on?"

"We caught this one trying to free one of the first years who was being punished." Alecto told her, almost giggling with glee.

"This is no way to deal with–"

"Actually, Professor Mills, this is exactly the way to deal with students who think they can go against us and the rules." Amycus informed her in a low, threatening tone. "If you've got a problem with that–"

"What I have a problem with is you parading him around like this." Regina hissed in his ear. "You're giving them a martyr, someone to look up to. Take him to the hospital wing and get him out of sight… now!"

Considering her for a moment, contemplating her words, the man nodded. He and his sister dragged Michael through the crowd of students, scattering them left and right as they made their way up the stairs towards the Hospital wing. Staring after them, Regina ran a hand through her head in frustration. She glanced sideways and spotted Minerva entering the Entrance Hall from the Great Hall and moved towards her quickly.

Leaning closer, the younger woman lowered her voice to a much quieter tone. "You need to speak to Longbottom and get him to drop this inflammatory nonsense. Someone is going to get seriously hurt."

"I fear it won't be easy to convince him to stop."

"Maybe not… but surely the state Corner's in will make him think, at least."

Minerva sighed deeply. "I'll see what I can do."

Nodding sharply, Regina turned and made her way back to her office. She was spending more and more time on her own as the days passed, shutting herself away and trying to work out what to do for the best.

She threw herself into work for the next few weeks, doing what she could to keep herself distracted. When several messages came, via Henry and Emma, to say that Nymphadora and Remus' baby had been born, Regina was unable to feel much other than fear. She was scared for the child, being born at such a dangerous time. With darkness all around them she could not see what kind of future awaited her great-nephew and she wished there was something she could do to change that.

Leaving a meeting of the Heads of House, Regina lagged behind the others. She leant heavily against the wall and let out a long, low breath. Rubbing her forehead agitatedly, the brunette thought deeply about what to do about the D.A. and their actions. Things had calmed down since Michael Corner's beating, but the Carrows were still sensitive about their authority being challenged. Severus was far too busy to deal with any behavioural issues, choosing to leave that up to his right hands.

It seemed as though Neville asking Alecto how much Muggle blood she had was the last straw. They had decided that something drastic needed to be done to keep the teenager in line and Amycus had come up with the idea of using his grandmother to make him behave. Regina had argued vehemently against that idea, pointing out that Augusta Longbottom was an old lady and that it was too heavy-handed. The Carrows had apparently disagreed and set out to intimidate her anyway.

Regina smirked to herself as she remembered what she'd heard about Augusta's reaction to being attacked. Amycus was still sulking and the pair of them were licking their wounds after she had managed to escape them and gone on the run. That, though, had made the Carrows more eager to get control of Neville and, spotting him heading in the direction of the Great Hall, completely unsuspecting an attack, Regina had tipped him off. The teenager had stared at her with wide eyes, unsure whether to believe that she was trying to help him. The sight of the Deputy Headmaster and Headmistress striding along the hallway behind her was enough to convince Neville that she was genuine and he turned and sprinted away.

"Why are you just standing there?" Amycus screamed at her as he rushed after Neville. "Get him!"

"In these shoes?" Regina snapped back, showing him her heels. "Get after him yourself or he'll get away!"

The Carrows hesitated for a moment, clearly considering arguing with her, before they sprinted off in the direction Neville had run. Regina knew that she would have some explaining to do later, but for now she simply wanted to inform Minerva of the latest developments. The Head of Gryffindor advised her to go and join the hunt for appearance's sake.

Nodding in understanding, Regina left her office and headed up in the direction of the Gryffindor Tower, assuming that was where the boy would go. Making her way swiftly upwards, the Head of Slytherin heard a commotion coming from the left corridor on the seventh floor and swiftly changed direction to see what was going on.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing?" Regina demanded, striding towards the small group made up of the Carrows and some of their supporters, who were apparently staring at a spot in the wall opposite a rather interesting tapestry of ballet dancing trolls.

"He vanished into the wall!" Alecto cried out in fury.

"Ah…" Regina's eyes widened slightly as she stared at the spot with sudden realisation.

She had heard, while she was a student, about the Room of Requirement, but she had never actually witnessed it for herself. Assuming that it was where Neville had gone and that he had been clever enough to protect himself from being followed, Regina knew that they were wasting their time. She sighed deeply, shaking her head.

"This is useless." She informed the others bluntly. "He's not coming out anytime soon."

"What do we do, then?" Amycus demanded in clear frustration.

"We monitor the situation and wait." Regina advised them, looking around and meeting everyone's eyes unwaveringly. "He has to come out sometime."

As the others exchanged a look, she nodded firmly and turned on her heels, heading back down in the direction of the dungeons. Regina let her eyes slip closed and breathed deeply as she strode along the corridor. As much as she didn't want to, the brunette knew she needed to speak to Minerva again, to update her on the situation and ask her what to do next. Regina was out of ideas and everything she could think of would put her in danger of being discovered as a double agent and, while that might benefit others in the long run, she couldn't bring herself to make such a dangerous move.

"Now's the time to speak to Aberforth again." Minerva advised her after hearing what Regina had to say. "Tell him that we need to get help to Neville; the entrance to the tunnel into Hogsmeade could be repositioned to allow us to get supplies into the Room of Requirement."

"You think he'll listen to me this time?" Regina asked, clearly doubting the outcome of such a visit. "Perhaps it would be better if you went?"

"No, I think you're the best person to speak to him." The older witch disagreed, shaking her head firmly. "Aberforth will respect you more if you demand he listens to you and considers your proposition."

That was how, half an hour later, Regina found herself perching on the edge of an armchair in the back room of The Hog's Head. She had pointedly ignored all the looks and snide comments from Killian behind the bar, pushing past and knocking on the door. She blanked out his demands that she leave, smiling at Aberforth as he greeted her in the doorway.

"Ah, so you're back, Ms Mills?" He asked, offering her a tankard of Hog's Head Brew. When she shook her head, he shrugged and took a long gulp of the liquid himself. "What do you want?"

"I want to discuss our previous conversation… the tunnel between here and Hogwarts?"

"Which tunnel?"

Inhaling deeply, the witch just about managed to keep her frustration at his feigned amnesia under control. "There is a student up at the school who has been forced into hiding. Have you heard of the Room of Requirement?"

Aberforth chuckled. "That I have."

"That's where we believe he's hiding. Minerva thought that if the tunnel from here into the castle could be used, so that the entrance would be in the Room of Requirement–"

"I could keep that student supplied with food and anything else he required." The man finished her sentence with ease. "Why should I?"

"You don't have to, obviously." Regina shrugged. "But… he's innocent in this. He won't be the only one. That room is going to full up with students who run up against the regime. They'll end up paying for the opinions and prejudices of witches and wizards that don't even know their names or care about it. I don't know about you, Mr Dumbledore, but I can't just sit back and watch them suffering." When the man stared at her, but stubbornly refused to answer, she moved back to the door and laid her hand on the handle. "I'll leave that with you, then."

Standing up, she turned and left the room, closing the door with a bang. Neal looked at her with an expression that she couldn't read, his head tilted to one side as he scrutinised her closely. Regina felt as though he was looking straight through her, reading her innermost thoughts.

"What?" She snapped, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.

"I don't know what you're trying to do," Neal admitted with a shrug, his voice so low that she had to strain to hear him, "but we will stop you."

"And how, exactly, do you propose doing that?" Regina asked, arching an eyebrow.

"We'll find a way." He replied calmly, jerking his shoulders in an approximation of a shrug. "We always do."


	19. Chapter 19

"This is getting ridiculous." Minerva muttered, throwing open the door to Regina's office and striding inside.

With the familiarity that had grown up between the two witches over the past few months, she dropped onto the sofa in front of the fireplace and reached for the tumbler of Firewhisky that had been placed on the end table beside it. Assuming that her friend would follow the pattern that had become normal recently, Regina had placed the glass ready for Minerva as soon as she had returned from the Great Hall after dinner. Then she had settled herself at her desk to tackle her marking before she was interrupted.

"How many today?" Regina inquired, setting her quill down and moving to join the older woman in front of the fire.

"Three; Jackson, Hendy and Franks."

Sighing deeply, the Head of Slytherin nodded thoughtfully. "Any word from Aberforth?"

Minerva shook her head. "I tried reasoning with him, but he wasn't interested."

"I don't see how we can get round this, Minerva." Regina sighed. "The Carrows are on guard outside the Room of Requirement almost constantly; either them or their little band of followers. I can't see how we can get past them."

"I think you need to make one final push. Really make Aberforth listen to you."

"I've tried." Regina reminded her, leaning heavily against the backrest of her chair and closing her eyes in exhaustion. "I really have. He isn't going to budge."

"We have nothing to lose, Regina." Minerva sighed, equally tired. "One last ditch attempt to get him to help us. If nothing comes of it then we can re-evaluate and find a new way to proceed."

Nodding, silently debating whether it was even worth the hassle, Regina stood. She gathered her cloak and headed for the door. Spotting the expression of half-amusement, half-confusion on her friend's face, the younger witch sighed deeply. "There's no time like the present, is there?"

Receiving a half-smile and a nod, Regina left her office. She didn't doubt that Minerva would still be there when she returned; waiting for news about the conversation she needed to have. The walk up through the castle was filled with tension. There were no students hiding in the shadows, attempting not to be spotted by the roaming teachers and prefects. In fact, Regina didn't spot anyone at all as she hurried through the Entrance Hall and down the steps into the grounds. The stillness was incredibly unnerving.

Letting herself into the Hog's Head, keeping her chin held high, Regina strode through the crowds of customers in their dark cloaks. The noise level dropped significantly as her presence was slowly noticed by the patrons of the bar, whispers running around the room as they glanced at each other and her, before looking away hurriedly so that they didn't catch her eyes. Regina barely noticed whether Killian and Neal reacted to the disdainful look she shot in their direction, pushing through the door to the back and letting it slam shut behind her.

"Ahhh… Ms Mills. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Mr Dumbledore." Regina sniffed dispassionately, looking around the dingy room for somewhere to sit. Choosing the armchair with the smallest bundle of newspapers on the seat, she moved them aside and settled herself carefully on the cushion. "I think you know why I'm here."

"By now I should…" He shrugged. "The tunnel."

"Aberforth… we need to get into that room." She almost pleaded with him to see reason. "There are so many students in there who need supplies and support. I'm not asking you to help. I just need you to allow me access to–"

"Quit your yammering, girl and follow me." The old wizard ordered gruffly.

In confusion, Regina followed as Aberforth pushed a dirty, crimson tapestry aside and revealed a small door behind it. He turned the large rusty ring and, with a low clank and then a creak, the door opened. Regina climbed the narrow, twisting staircase that was revealed behind the door and found herself in another room, the dimensions suggesting that it was directly above the one below.

Wordlessly, Aberforth jabbed his finger towards an oil painting hanging on the wall above the fireplace. A very pale, innocent looking blonde girl gazed out from the picture, her eyes seeming fixed on Regina. For a moment, nothing happened and Regina half-expected someone to come bursting in and for the whole situation to be some kind of trap. But then Aberforth stepped forward and nodded at the painting. He had a warm smile on his face that the witch had never seen there before and, quite frankly, didn't think he was capable of.

"Ariana?" He said in an almost reverent voice. "You can show her."

With a smile, the blonde turned and walked away. The brunette witch knew who the young woman was; she had read Rita Skeeter's article about the Dumbledores like everyone else in the Wizarding World.

Unlike every other time Regina had seen a figure leave their painting, Ariana Dumbledore walked away towards the back of the painting, along a long tunnel until she disappeared into the darkness.

"Is that… is that the way in?" She asked, inhaling sharply. "Is your sister going to Hogwarts?"

"Give her a minute."

"Aberforth… if this works, it'll be the only way into the castle." Regina told him seriously. "There are almost constant patrols inside the school and dementors around the boundary walls. The Carrows know everything that happens. All the old secret passages in and out are covered at both ends. There is no way to get into the castle without being spotted."

"There is now… has been for a while." He told her, grinning and nodding towards the painting once more.

"A while? What do you…?"

Ariana was walking back toward them from the back of the picture,her figure growing bigger and bigger as she got closer and closer. On one side of her, Regina could make out another person accompanying the blonde and squinted to try and work out who they might be. As they got closer, so close that only their heads and shoulders were visible, Regina allowed a smile to appear on her face.

The painting swung open on the wall, as though it was hinged on one side, which revealed the entrance to a tunnel behind it. Unable to help herself, Regina peered past the teenage boy to get a better look into the gloom behind him; broken only by what seemed to be the occasional brass lamp attached to the stone walls.

"Professor Mills!" Neville beamed at her. "Ariana said we had a visitor, but she didn't say who."

"Longbottom… how… how long has this tunnel been…?"

He laughed at her confusion. "Since a couple of days after you tipped me off and I went into hiding. Aberforth's been great at supplying us with food and drink. The Room of Requirement handles everything else."

Turning to stare irritably at the wizard who was watching in amusement, she scowled. "You knew? You let me come back here time and time again, pleading with you to allow us to use the tunnel to aid the students and you said nothing?"

"It passed the time."

Biting back a retort, knowing that they needed to keep him onside, Regina nodded sharply. "And you're all well… in there?"

"Come and see for yourself." Neville offered, stepping aside and motioning into the tunnel.

"I'm not sure that's…"

"Oh, come on, Professor." He grinned at her. "I'm sure it'll put yours and Professor McGonagall's minds at rest if you can see how we're living."

Unable to deny that she would feel much better if she could see the students' living conditions for herself, Regina smiled slowly and glanced around at Aberforth. He nodded and kicked a stool towards the fireplace, holding out a hand to help her up.

Regina climbed onto the mantelpiece, as gracefully as she could manage, before glancing unsurely at the hole behind the portrait. As Neville reached out a hand to help her through, she smiled gratefully and stepped through into the tunnel. The heels of her shoes sank slightly into the earth beneath them and she grimaced, before following the teenage boy into the darkness. The brass lamps cast a dim glow over the tunnel, causing their shadows to flicker and fall, distorted in shape, across the stone walls and ceiling.

As they walked, the passage began to slope steeply upward. Regina felt as though they had been walking for hours. Neville was talking excitedly, as though speaking to one of his peers, rather than a teacher who had believed to be a Death Eater for so long. She listened quietly, taking in everything he was saying and storing relevant bits of information to relay to Minerva when she returned to her office.

At last, they turned a sharp corner and found themselves staring at the end of the tunnel. Neville grasped her elbow gently and directed her towards another short flight of steps, ending in a door the same as the one hidden behind the portrait in Aberforth's sitting room. Neville pushed it open and climbed through in front of her. As though sensing she was slightly apprehensive, he smiled warmly.

"Don't worry… I've told them all how you saved me from the Carrows. It's OK."

Slightly taken aback by the sincerity and concern in his tone, Regina blinked a couple of times, before allowing herself to be pulled through into the room beyond the tunnel. She looked around in wonder, gaping slightly at the sheer size of the space.

Brightly coloured hammocks hung in their tens from the beams in the ceiling and across the balcony around the top of the walls. There were no windows, but dozens of blazing torches, similar to the ones in the tunnel, casting a cheerful light over the whole room. Looking around, Regina could see hangings representing three of the Hogwarts Houses, scattered around the room; the Gryffindor lion, the Hufflepuff badger and the Ravenclaw eagle. There was no representation of Slytherin House, not that Regina was remotely surprised by its absence at all.

"Professor?"

Regina glanced towards the small voice, finding herself under the scrutiny of many pairs of eyes. "I must say, Melanie Eaves, this is a drastic way to avoid handing in your homework."

"Sorry, Professor, I–"

"I was joking." The witch assured her gently, smiling and looking around again. She nodded towards the bookcase, stuffed with books. "I'm pleased to see that you're making some efforts to keep up with your education."

"We try." Michael Corner agreed, dropping down from a hammock and hobbling towards her. He waved off her concern before she could even express it. "I'm fine."

Lavender Brown stepped forward, offering the older woman a stool to sit on and, for a while, Regina questioned the teenagers, assessing their situation and wondering whether there was anything she could do to improve it. After a while, it became clear that the only things they were unable to gain from the Room of Requirement itself were food and drink and Aberforth was stepping in to supply that.

"I'd better be going." She said at last, standing up and smoothing down her robes. "If there's anything you need or anything I can do, anything at all, just get word to me via Aberforth."

"Thank you, Professor." Neville nodded at her seriously, holding out his hand to shake hers.

She smiled wryly, clasping his hand in hers. "Regina."

"Thank you, Regina."

To the teenagers' surprise, she walked briskly towards the hidden entrance that led into the castle, rather than the door that led back to The Hog's Head. As she reached for the door handle, several students stepped forwards, apparently intending to try and stop her leaving by that exit. Regina turned to look at them, smiling reassuringly.

"It'll be fine."

"But what if the Carrows or…" Terry Boot asked, chewing his lip.

"They'll kill you!" Neville blurted out, his eyebrows furrowed.

Regina laughed. "I'd like to see them try."


	20. Chapter 20

Emma huffed as she listened to the wireless, shaking her head and reaching out for her toast. She bit into it aggressively, furrowing her eyebrows as she listened to the incredibly over the top account of a break in at Gringotts. She could believe that Potter and his friends would be reckless enough to try a stunt like that, but she couldn't quite get her head around the fact that they had escaped without any sort of misfortune befalling them.

Glancing up at the sound of her name from outside the door, she nodded and chewed the rest of her toast quickly, turning the wireless off and joining Andromeda in the hallway. There had been no word from Regina for a long time and the blonde was starting to worry. She assumed that, if there had been bad news, it would have reached her by now in some form or another, but the silence was just as concerning. Andromeda was worried about her younger sister, as well, but she had her daughter and newborn grandson to occupy her thoughts, too.

"Are you coming with me today?" The older witch asked, glancing curiously at her companion. Sometimes Emma liked the chance to leave the farmhouse and meet Tonks on her visits to her mother's home. Other times, the blonde preferred her own company. "Nymphadora is bringing baby Teddy."

"I'm not sure, I…"

"If Regina sends a message we'll know." Andromeda assured her gently. "Come on… you're going to get cabin fever cooped up in here all the time. A change of scenery will do you the world of good."

Nodding reluctantly, Emma shifted from foot to foot while Andromeda ran over the arrangements for the smooth running of the house while they were gone. Finally, she returned to the entrance hall and smiled warmly at the younger witch, reaching out to squeeze her forearm reassuringly.

Together they walked out into the yard, crossing the uneven slabs quickly and heading away from the compound. It had been expanded significantly since Regina had started it up, growing to ensure that the large community that lived on the farm were completely self-sufficient. They even had chickens and couple of goats wandering around the yard in front of the building.

Andromeda linked her arm through Emma's as they approached the invisible boundary and, with well-practised ease, the two women Disapparated as soon as they crossed the line. Not even blinking, the older witch continued across her back garden and unlocked the kitchen door, letting them into the house and flicking her wand at the kettle that was sitting on the hob.

No sooner than the kettle had started whistling, they heard a soft knock at the back door. Standing up, Emma went to unlock it, after listening for the password, smiling broadly at the young woman standing outside with her son cradled against her chest. Tonks pulled her into a tight, one-armed hug, grinning brightly and carefully manoeuvred Teddy into her friend's arms. She waltzed through into the kitchen, dropping into a chair at the table as Emma carefully locked the door behind them, casting the usual protective enchantments.

"They're trying to hush up this business at Gringotts." Tonks told them seriously, sipping on her tea. "They must be fuming that Harry, Hermione and Ron got in and out without being caught. Rumour is that Bellatrix hasn't been seen in public for a while, so that should have been enough of a clue that something wasn't right."

Andromeda looked at her sharply. "Bellatrix? Why?"

"Mum…"

"I know, I know." The older witch sighed. "But she is still my sister. If she's ill or…"

"I'm sure she's just plotting with your mother and You-Know-Who." Emma muttered, glancing up from the baby in her arms. "I'm sorry, but it's true, Drom. We've been worried they're planning something big for a while and your mother and Bellatrix have been conspicuous by their absence for the last couple of months. They haven't been seen since Christmas."

"You're probably right." Andromeda agreed with another deep sigh. "What else is new, dear?"

"Not much… I don't think Remus is telling me what's really going on out there because of Teddy. It's only been two weeks since he was born and Remus thinks my full attention should be on the baby. I've tried explain to him that it's not easy when we're living through such dangerous times, but he won't listen."

"He's trying to protect you." Emma pointed out softly, smiling as Teddy let out a little sigh and waved his tiny fist around. "It's sweet."

"It's frustrating." Tonks huffed. Leaning forward, she leant her elbows on the table and looked between them seriously. "There is a plan, though."

"What plan?" The blonde asked sharply, looking up and meeting her eyes.

"We're taking back Hogwarts."

"What?" Andromeda breathed. "But… how? Regina?"

Her daughter shook her head. "No. I haven't heard anything from Regina for a while. I was hoping you would have?"

Emma shook her head. "No, nothing. We're hoping no news is good news…"

All three women remembered the last time they'd clung onto that hope. No news had turned out to be the opposite of good news in the case of Andromeda's husband and that memory haunted all of them.

Shaking her head, Andromeda went to refill the teapot in order to distract herself. "So? What's this plan?"

"We go in and take it back from the inside." Tonks told them, grinning from ear-to-ear. Seeing the bemusement on their faces, she laughed. "Aberforth Dumbledore says he can help us."

"Aberforth? Really?" Andromeda looked unsure. Emma transferred Teddy into her arms, guessing that holding her grandson would go some way to calming her.

"I don't know the ins and outs of it, because Remus is keeping me away from the meetings, but I've heard Neville mentioned, along with Aberforth, Killian and Neal." The Metamorphmagus chewed her lip, as though wondering whether to tell them something or not. "Neal and Killian think Aunt Gina is up to something. She's been to visit Aberforth several times and, each time, she's left in a bad mood. They're under the impression that she's trying to force information out of Aberforth and it's not going her way. Neal… Neal threatened her and–"

"He did what?" Emma growled, almost leaping out of her seat and starting to pace across the tiled floor. "When I get my hands on him…"

"He doesn't know Regina's a double agent, Em." Tonks reminded her. "For all he knows that's a totally plausible reason for her to be visiting Aberforth."

"Yeah, but I…"

"I know." Andromeda reached out and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. "It's hard to hear, but for Regina's safety they have to believe she's working against us."

Emma huffed again, folding her arms across her chest. "What else did _Neal_ say?"

"Minerva's been to visit Aberforth too… what we don't know is if it was for the same reason. If it was, does that mean Regina and Minerva are working together? Or are they just both on the same track? Or were they visiting him for completely different reasons?"

"I think they're working together." Emma told them quickly. "Gina's been mentioning Minerva more and more often recently; never anything specific – she never mentioned Aberforth Dumbledore – but just odd snippets of information here and there."

"That's good; she's got someone to talk to about this… someone she can trust."

Andromeda nodded in agreement at her daughter's words. "There's no one better to have on your side."

Without them realising, it had gone dark outside and, glancing towards the garden Emma realised that it was raining. Large droplets were running down the panes of glass in rivulets, joining up and creating rivers, almost like patterns, on the windows. She shivered, despite the fact that it was beautifully warm and cosy in the kitchen, wrapping her thick, knitted cardigan more tightly around herself as she sat back down at the table.

She was just about to suggest they had something to eat when a loud hammering on the back door made all three women jump. Exchanging a look with the others, Emma signalled for Tonks to take her mother and her son into the other room. She waited until the door had been pulled almost shut before approaching the door cautiously, her wand raised and poised to defend them.

"Password." She barked out.

"Edward George Malcolm Tonks. His favourite colour was orange and his favourite song was _Stick With Me Baby_ by the Everly Brothers."

Relief had flooded through Emma when she recognised Remus' voice, but his ability to give her the information about Andromeda's husband satisfied the witch that it really was him. Removing the protection enchantments, she unlocked the door and let him in, smiling warmly as he turned to secure the door once more. As he shrugged his sopping wet cloak off, Emma threw a towel across the room to him, before opening the door and calling to the other women.

"What are you doing here?" Tonks asked, greeting her husband with a quick kiss and a curious expression.

"Harry, Hermione and Ron are at Hogwarts." He informed them hurriedly. "Aberforth has sent word. This is it… this is our chance to take back the castle."

At once they leapt into action. A furious argument broke out between Remus and Tonks. He was adamant that she should go back to the farm with Andromeda and Teddy and stay out of harm's way. She, on the other hand, refused to hide away from the action. Finally, Remus threw up his hands and shook his head, knowing that his wife wouldn't give in.

Emma accompanied Andromeda back to Black Rock Farm, assembling the inhabitants and telling them what was going on. She laid out the situation honestly, telling them of the significant risks that were involved with accompanying her to the castle. To Andromeda's immense infuriation Emma agreed to let the older students who were of age and wanted to join the fight accompany her and they set off at once, leaving the farm and Apparating directly into the bar of The Hog's Head.

Aberforth Dumbledore was almost hopping from foot to foot in irritation at the number of people who were passing through his bar on their way up to Hogwarts. He angrily informed Emma that the Weasley twins had accidentally let off a dung bomb on their way through and that over a dozen of his glasses had been smashed in the commotion. Doing her best to placate him, Emma ushered the students ahead of her and assured him that she was sure he would be compensated for the inconvenience at some point.

Clambering up into the tunnel behind the painting, the witch followed the crowd of teenagers towards the castle. The commotion that hit her as she walked through the doorway and into the Room of Requirement was completely unexpected. It was crowded with witches and wizards, all talking excitedly and greeting one another enthusiastically. Around the walls Emma saw numerous banners emblazoned with the emblems of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

Her eyes were drawn to a row of hammocks hanging from the ceiling, when she felt herself being pulled into a tight hug. "Em! Where have you been? We've been so worried!"

"I've been in hiding." Emma told Neal, briefly released before being embraced by Killian. "Regina hid me. She kept me safe."

"R-Regina? But…?"

"She was working for us the whole time!" The blonde snapped, scowling at them and turning away.

"Emma! Emma, dear! Over here!"

Relieved to be pulled away from the conversation with the two men that was filling her with so much anger, the blonde searched the crowd until she found herself looking into the warm, brown eyes of Molly Weasley. Her face split into a genuine smile and she pulled the shorter woman into a tight hug.

"Molly! How are you? Gina told me that you'd left The Burrow and gone into hiding."

The older witch shot her a strange look. "Regina?"

"She tipped you off, didn't she?" Emma asked, frowning lightly.

"You know?"

Emma nodded quickly, squeezing the redhead's hands and smiling broadly at her. "Regina hid me. She was concerned that the Registration Committee were coming for me and took me to the safe house she and Andromeda set up. I've been there all this time."

"She… I had no idea." Molly shook her head. "None at all."

"That was kinda the point." The blonde laughed.

"I knew it!" Molly smiled triumphantly. "I told Arthur that we could trust Regina and that she probably knew where you were. I love being right."

"Don't we all." Tonks' voice greeted them and Emma turned, shaking her head.

"I still think you should have stayed with Teddy and your mother."

"I couldn't… I couldn't sit there knowing this was happening without me." The younger woman said quietly.

Emma reached out and squeezed her bicep, before glancing towards the doorway that led out into the castle. "I guess it's time."


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A large proportion of the dialogue in this chapter is taken from the book, although there had to be some changes – for instance, Flitwick was swapped for Trelawney, because in this version of the Deathly Hallows, Professor Flitwick retired and was replaced by Emma.
> 
> I just wanted to make this clear, before one of you eagle-eyed readers pointed it out ;)

"Minerva!" Regina reached out and clutched her friend's arm tightly, completely ignoring the fact that she was dressed in her tartan dressing gown. "What's happening? I heard mention of… is Potter here?"

She nodded briskly. "I've taken care of the Carrows, but they've summoned You-Know-Who. It's only a matter of time before…"

The younger witch nodded, showing her the burning mark on her forearm, which told her that Voldemort had been summoned. "I know."

"Of course…"

"Minerva…" Regina narrowed her eyes at the hesitation in her friend's tone. "What aren't you telling–?"

"Who's there?" Minerva cut across her, looking past the brunette and fixing her gaze on a suit of armour against the wall behind them.

"It is I." Severus showed himself, looking more sallow since the last time Regina had seen him which, admittedly, had been a while ago. "Where are the Carrows?"

"Wherever you told them to be, I expect, Severus."

As he stepped closer, Regina's breath caught in her throat and she felt slightly sick, worried about what was about to happen. "I was under the impression that Alecto had apprehended an intruder."

"Really? And what gave you that impression?" In response, the man motioned towards his forearm, where the Dark Mark burned. "Oh, but naturally, you Death Eaters have your own private means of communication, I forgot."

Although the comment was meant as a slight against the man Minerva believed to be working against them, Regina flinched at her words. She wrapped her hand around the mark on her forearm, squeezing as though that could remove it from her skin. Neither of her colleagues seemed to notice the movement, their eyes locked on each other suspiciously.

"I did not know that it was your night to patrol the corridors, Minerva."

"You have some objection?"

Severus tilted his head thoughtfully. "I wonder what could have brought you out of your bed at this late hour?"

"I thought I heard a disturbance." The older woman replied evenly, shrugging her shoulders.

"Really? But all seems calm." Severus looked at her curiously. "Have you seen Harry Potter, Minerva? Because if you have I must insist…"

"Serverus, I–" Regina started.

Her voice died in her throat as, beside her, Minerva raised her arm and slashed her wand downwards. Severus reacted instantly, producing a Shield Charm that was so strong that the woman in front of him stumbled backwards, wobbling as she threw an arm out to steady herself. Regina was forced to duck as the older witch aimed her wand at a torch on the wall beside her and directed it towards Severus. As it got closer it changed, becoming a ring of fire, filling the space between them and shooting viciously towards Severus.

"Minerva! Severus! Stop!" Regina ordered, trying to force an authoritative tone into her voice. "That's enough!"

The battle raged between the witch and wizard. The fire became a serpent, which became a surge of dark smoke, which became a cloud of daggers. Regina panicked as the blades flew towards her friend, flicking her wand and moving a suit of armour into their path. There were resounding clangs as the daggers embedded themselves into the barrier, rather than Severus' flesh.

"Regina!" Minerva rounded on her, eyes wide with surprise.

Nothing more was said, however, as echoing footsteps and shouts greeted their ears and both witches turned to see Professors Trelawney and Sprout hurrying towards them as quickly as they could manage. Both were dressed in their nightclothes, as was Professor Slughorn who appeared moments later, red in the face and puffing loudly.

The trio seemed to need no explanation of the situation to make up their minds about what was happening. Sybil raised her wand, aiming at Severus. "No! You'll do no more murder at Hogwarts!"

"Please, just wait. I can–" Regina shook her head, starting to explain, but it was not enough to prevent the Head of Ravenclaw's spell exploding from the end of her wand and hitting the suit of armour that was providing Severus with a tiny amount of protection.

Split seconds later, the suit of amour was springing to life, attempting to grasp the man behind it in its strong, metal arms. Giving it a firm shove, Severus sent the magically animated figure crashing into the assembled group of Professors. There was a crunching sound as it collided with the stone wall and crumbled into its component parts; hitting the floor with loud clanking sounds.

There was no time to consider the situation, however, as Severus used the momentary commotion to make his escape. At once the four witches were on his heels; Regina attempting to get him to explain and the other three furiously attempting to capture him. They crashed through the door of a classroom at the end of the corridor, just in time to see the flutter of black robes as Severus disappeared from sight through the window with a crashing, shattering sound.

"Coward!" Minerva screamed, pushing Regina aside and peering out through the smashed glass. "COWARD!"

"Severus!" Regina cried out, leaning beside her and scanning the darkness for any hint as to where he might have gone. "Sev!"

"He jumped." Minerva ground out, angrily, as two figures ran into the room. It took Regina a moment to realise who they were and her eyebrows knitted in confusion as her eyes flicked back to the woman standing beside her.

"You mean he's dead?" Harry pushed past them to peer out of the window.

The Head of Gryffindor shook her head bitterly. "No, he's not dead. Unlike Dumbledore, he was still carrying a wand… and he seems to have learned a few tricks from his master."

"That is not fair." Regina told her, fighting back the emotion that was building in her chest. "There are things that you don't–"

"Harry!" Slughorn interrupted her, grasping at his chest and gasping for breath as he entered the room. "My dear boy… what a surprise. Minerva, do please explain… Severus… what…?"

"Our headmaster is taking a short break." She informed him, indicating towards the smashed window. "I believe we need to have a conversation, Regina?"

The younger witch raised a hand to rub her eyes tiredly – both the cold tone and the use of her full name, rather than the recently more commonly used 'Gina' – instantly filling her with exhausted resignation. She sighed and then nodded, making to follow the other woman from the classroom.

"Professor!" Potter's panicked shout made them both turn and stare at him. "Professor, we've got to barricade the school, he's coming now!"

Minerva hesitated for the shortest of moments, before nodding determinedly. "Very well. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is coming. Potter has work to do in the castle on Dumbledore's orders. We need to put in place every protection of which we are capable while Potter does what he needs to do."

Sybil blinked anxiously at them through her thick glasses. "You realise, of course, that nothing we do will be able to keep out You-Know-Who indefinitely?"

"But we can hold him up." The Head of Hufflepuff pointed out resolutely.

"Thank you, Pomona." Minerva nodded. "I suggest we establish basic protection around the place, then gather our students and meet in the Great Hall. Most must be evacuated, though if any of those who are over age wish to stay and fight, I think they ought to be given the chance."

"Agreed, I shall meet you in the Great Hall in twenty minutes with my House." Pomona told her, already moving towards the door.

Potter approached the Divination teacher, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Professor, I'm sorry to interrupt, but this is important. Have you got any idea where the diadem of Ravenclaw is?"

"The diadem of Ravenclaw?" Trelawney almost gasped, her already wide eyes widening further as she gazed at him. "A little extra wisdom never goes amiss, Potter, but I hardly think it would be much use in this situation!"

"I only meant… do you know where it is? Have you ever seen it?"

She shook her head wildly. "Seen it! Nobody has seen it in living memory! Long since lost, boy."

Breaking the almost uncomfortable silence that had fallen after her pronouncement, Minerva nodded sharply. "We shall meet you and your Ravenclaws in the Great Hall, Sybil."

"Minerva, perhaps I should–"

"With me, please, Regina." The older witch requested coolly, sparing her a brief glance.

Before they had reached the door, Slughorn spoke up, reminding them that he was still there. "My word! What a to-do! I'm not at all sure whether this is wise, Minerva. He is bound to find a way in, you know, and anyone who has tried to delay him will be in the most grievous peril."

Professor McGonagall shot him a disdainful look. "I shall expect you and the Slytherins in the Great Hall in twenty minutes also. If you wish to leave with your students, we shall not stop you. But if any of you attempt to sabotage our resistance or take up arms against us within this castle, then, Horace, we duel to kill."

"Minerva!"

"The time has come for Slytherin House to decide upon its loyalties." She told him bluntly, shooting a sideways look at the brunette witch beside her. "Go and wake the students, Horace."

She strode from the classroom without another word and raised her wand, ready to begin their task of protecting the castle. Regina watched her nervously, wondering what she was going to do and whether she would be allowed the chance to explain herself for attempting to protect Severus.

" _Piertotum_ – Oh, for heaven's sake, Filch, not now!" Minerva exhaled in frustration as the caretaker appeared at the end of the corridor.

"Students out of bed! Students in the corridors!"

"They're supposed to be you blithering idiot! Now go and do something constructive! Find Peeves!"

"P– Peeves?" Filch looked absolutely horrified at the prospect.

Minerva rolled her eyes. "Yes, Peeves, you fool, Peeves! Haven't you been complaining about him for a quarter of a century? Go and fetch him, at once." As soon as he turned and shuffled away slowly, she returned her attention to the rows of statues and suits of armour lining the corridor. "And now… _Piertotum Locomator_!"

Every single statue in the corridor jumped down from their base, turning towards the witch who had cast the spell to animate them. Crashes, thuds and bangs from seemingly everywhere around them indicated that the rest of the hundreds of statues that decorated the castle appeared to have done the same.

"Hogwarts is threatened! Man the boundaries, protect us, do your duty to our school!" As they moved, slowly and jerkily towards the staircases that would lead them down to the Entrance Hall so that they could follow out her orders, Minerva turned to the pair of teenagers who were hovering nervously beside them. "Now, Potter, you and Miss Lovegood had better return to your friends and bring them to the Great Hall. I shall rouse the other Gryffindors."

As they nodded and hurried away, Regina reached out and laid her hand on Minerva's arm. The older witch had begun to make her way in the same direction as the magically animated statues had gone, no doubt to take control of the situation in the Great Hall. Minerva flinched at the contact and Regina withdrew her hand immediately, a cold chill going through her at her friend's reaction.

"Minerva, please, I…"

"I think it would be best if you left, Ms Mills." She said stiffly, not looking around.

"Let me explain."

"What is there to say? You protected a traitor… Dumbledore's murderer."

Regina grasped her hands, ignoring how rigid Minerva went at the action. "There are things that you don't know… things that I _can't_ tell you, however much I want to." She shook her head, squeezing the hands that had become slightly more receptive to her touch. "I promise you that I am whole-heartedly on your side, Minerva. I am willing to lay down my life for this cause… to protect Hogwarts and the students and what is right."

Professor McGonagall squeezed her eyes closed and took in a deep, stuttering breath. "Please don't make me regret trusting you."


	22. Chapter 22

Regina had found herself marshalling terrified students into the Great Hall, reassuring them enough to get them seated at the long House tables and listen to Professor McGonagall explaining the situation in a blunt fashion. They needed to know the reality of what was facing them; what was at stake and what the potential outcomes were.

As her eye fell on Henry, sitting at the Ravenclaw table with his friends, his eyes trained on the witch standing beside her on the raised platform, she felt a tightening in her chest. Moving her gaze sideways to look at Minerva, her attention was pulled away as she spotted golden hair in the crowd of members of the Order of the Phoenix. She hadn't been able to speak to any of them; their arrival coinciding with her attempts to calm the students milling around the hall.

"… evacuation will be overseen by Mr. Filch and Madame Pomfrey. Prefects, when I give the word, you will organize your House and take your charges in orderly fashion to the evacuation point."

"And what if we want to stay and fight?" Ernie Macmillan shouted from the Hufflepuff table, receiving a brief round of applause.

"If you are of age, you may stay." Professor McGonagall informed them, her jaw tightening slightly.

"But _only_ if you are of age. No exceptions." Regina added in a loud, clear voice. Henry scowled immediately; just as she had expected him to do.

"What about our things? Our trunks, our owls?" A Ravenclaw asked.

"We have no time to collect possessions. The important thing is to get you out of here safely."

"Where's Professor Snape?"

"He has, to use the common phrase, done a bunk." Regina clenched her fists at her sides, forcing her face to remain emotionless as Minerva answered the question coldly, trying to block out the cheering that had erupted from three of the four tables. "We have already placed protection around the castle, but it is unlikely to hold for very long unless we reinforce it. I must ask you, therefore, to move quickly and calmly, and do as your prefects–"

She stopped abruptly as a voice, which was sickeningly familiar to Regina, echoed through the Great Hall. It echoed around them, bouncing off the walls and making it impossible to place where it had originated. The brunette witch felt her muscles reacting instinctively, readying themselves for action as she listened intently to the cold, serpentine tones.

"I know that you are preparing to fight. Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts." Regina ignored the screams of terror that some of the students in front of her were unable to force down, listening intently to the voice. "I do not want to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter and they shall not be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded." There was a pause; a stomach-churning, deafening silence as every witch and wizard held his or her breath. "You have until midnight."

Before it was possible for any of the adults in the Great Hall to react, Pansy Parkinson stood from her seat at the Slytherin table and pointed her finger at Potter, who had apparently been attempting to enter the room unseen. "But he's there!" She screamed, almost hysterically. "Potter's there. Someone grab him!"

At once, moving as one the Gryffindors rose to their feet, blocking Potter from the Slytherins, a great number of whom were also on their feet. Seconds later, everyone at the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables stood too, moving to join the wall of students protecting Potter. Every single student was staring defiantly at Pansy Parkinson, wands being pulled out from their hiding places and raised in defence of the teenage boy behind them.

"Enough!" Regina roared, taking a single step forward. She could see what was in danger of happening and the last thing they needed was to begin fighting amongst themselves. Her order was enough to stop the commotion and force every eye in the room in her direction.

Professor McGonagall moved to her side, laying a soothing hand on her arm but not looking at her. "Thank you, Miss Parkinson. You will leave the Hall first with Mr Filch. If the rest of your House could follow." Regina clenched her jaw as every single Slytherin traipsed out of the Great Hall, disappointed that none of them were remaining to join the fight. "Ravenclaws, follow on!"

While all of the Slytherins had left, a large number of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs had stayed behind. By far the largest number of remaining students was seated at the Gryffindor table, many of whom were underage. Minerva and Regina, amongst others, descended from the raised platform and moved amongst the students, resolutely refusing to listen to arguments and allow the younger children to stay and join the fight.

"Henry!" Regina rushed towards her son, who was sitting resolutely at the Ravenclaw table, his arms folded and his face set determinedly. "You are not staying."

"I am."

"Sweetheart… you're fifteen. You're underage and I am not going to let you risk your life when–"

"Are you staying?" He asked bluntly, cutting across her.

"Of course I am."

"Then so am I."

"No, Henry." She shook her head, cupping his face gently. "You aren't. You're leaving and getting as far away from here as possible."

"Mom!" He scowled at her and Regina was reminded of the petulant toddler he had been not long ago.

"We've only got half an half an hour until midnight, so we need to act fast." Kingsley Shacklebolt's booming voice cut through the chatter and caused everyone to fall silent at once. Regina kept a tight hold of Henry, knowing him well enough to realise that he would slip away and hide from her if she gave him the opportunity. "A battle plan has been agreed between the teachers of Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix. Professors Trelawney, Sprout and McGonagall are going to take groups of fighters up to the three highest towers – Ravenclaw, Astronomy, and Gryffindor – where they'll have good overview, excellent positions from which to work spells. Meanwhile Remus, Arthur and I will take groups into the grounds. We'll need somebody to organise defence of the entrances or the passageways into the school."

"Sounds like a job for us." Fred Weasley offered, indicating towards his twin who nodded in agreement.

"All right, leaders up here and we'll divide up the troops!"

As everyone swarmed to prepare themselves for the fight, Regina turned back to her son. "I'm not messing around, Henry. This is far too dangerous for you. You have absolutely no experience of duelling or the type of magic that–"

"Do any of these kids?" He demanded furiously, motioning around him towards the students milling around. Beneath the determined expressions, most of them looked vaguely green and completely terrified. "What's the difference between them and me?"

"They're overage." Regina pointed out as calmly as she could. "I can't stop them."

"In less than two years I'll be overage." Henry reminded her. "I bet I've had way more experience of what's coming than any of them. I'm staying."

With a deep sigh, Regina pulled him into a close embrace. "I won't be able to concentrate, Henry. I'll be worrying about you and that will mean that I'll be useless. If you stay here… I'll be a liability."

"Mom… I want to help."

"I know, sweetheart, I know. The best way you can help is to go and help Aunt Dromeda. She'll need you. Please, Henry… you have to go."

Finally, bitterly disappointed at the outcome, Henry admitted defeat. He nodded slowly and allowed Regina to fold him into her arms once more, pressing kisses into his hair, before heading towards the Entrance Hall with the rest of the underage students.

"I love you!" He called, pausing as he reached the double doors, apparently not caring who heard him.

Regina smiled broadly. "I love you, too."

As soon as he turned and hurried away, the smile dropped from her face and she strode towards the assembled members of the Order of the Phoenix at the front of the room. Listening to the battle plan, she nodded as Kingsley requested she went with the party heading out to the front of the castle. They expected a large number of Death Eaters to attack from the Hogsmead entrance and so defending that point was a priority.

Closing her eyes, Regina took a moment to compose herself. She was relieved that Henry had seen sense and she hoped, beyond anything, that he hadn't been stupid enough to stay behind at the castle after all. Somewhere in her mind there was a nagging thought that she couldn't block out; that Henry was too stubborn to back down and that he would ignore her pleas for him to leave.

Opening her eyes and taking a couple of steps towards the Entrance Hall, Regina paused as her eyes fell on Emma. The blonde was talking seriously with Ruby Lucas and David Nolan, the three of them looking pale and drawn. As though she could sense Regina's eyes on her, Emma glanced over and met her gaze. Immediately she turned and crossed the flagstones, pulling the older witch into a tight hug. Regina melted into her arms, revelling in the closeness and security of her girlfriend.

"Be careful." Emma requested softly. "I need you to come back to me."

"As do I, you, dear." Regina replied. "I love you, Emma."

"I love you too."

Pressing her lips tenderly against the blonde's Regina extricated herself from her grasp and continued towards the doors that led out into the Entrance Hall. She crossed the floor and strode down the steps into the crisp night air. Everything was still; the calm before the storm. Watching the driveway that wound through the darkness and disappeared from sight, Regina raised her wand slowly.

Then, as if from nowhere, spells and curses reigned down on those defending the front of the castle. The calm broke in seconds and the air was filled with shouts and screams and Death Eaters bearing down on them from all sides. Holding her own, Regina fended off the attacks of two masked wizards at once, shooting stunning spells and curses in their directions quickly. She slashed her wand through the air, causing one of her attackers to crumble to the ground with a cry. No sooner than he was down, another stepped in to take his place.

The battle was raging on around her with no shortage of Death Eaters to step in where others failed. Regina was pushed back into the castle, taking up a defensive stance in the middle of the Entrance Hall, duelling back-to-back with David Nolan. They circled slowly, firing off spells at a rapid pace and taking down advancing wizard after advancing wizard. Their cloaked adversaries kept coming, surging forward and attempting to break through their defences but, Regina thought through gritted teeth as she aimed a bombarding curse at a group of Death Eaters who were heading straight for a cluster of sixth year girls at the foot of the staircase, they were managing to hold them off at the moment.

"Regina!"

The brunette turned and met the eyes of the woman who was approaching quickly. Cora was stalking across the flagstone floor of the Entrance Hall with narrowed eyes. The hood of her cloak was pulled up, casting most of her features into shadow, but her eyes were still clearly visible. They almost glowed with excitement as she surveyed the chaos around her.

"M-Mother…"

"Isn't this wonderful!" Cora breathed, stopping in front of her daughter and gripping her shoulders tightly. "You can feel the fear in the air."

"It's horrendous!" Regina retorted, not even bothering to pretend. "All these students… they're just children! Look at them!"

She motioned towards the battle raging around them. The air was filled with shouts and screams, dust and debris falling from above them, the shimmering of spells flying haphazardly in every direction. Death Eaters were duelling with students, teachers and members of the Order. The figures in the Entrance Hall and on the grand staircase were weaving and dodging about so much that being injured by someone on their own side was a very real possibility. Peeves was adding to the confusion, zipping about in the air about the duellers, attempting to aim Snargaluff pods onto the Death Eaters in order to distract them by overwhelming them with the writhing green tubers, like oversized worms.

"What are you saying, Regina?" Her mother asked, her voice low and threatening. "Are you not glad that we have the opportunity to wipe out the blood traitors and disappointments once and for all?"

"No, Mother, I'm not." Regina informed her bluntly. "I think you're wrong… about all of this. _This_ is wrong. _He_ is wrong."

Understanding flared behind Cora's eyes as she mentally digested the words and she fixed her daughter with an icy stare.


	23. Chapter 23

Before Cora could do anything, a massive booming sound caught everyone's attention and they turned in time to see the Slytherin hourglass shattering, almost in slow motion. The emeralds, that had recorded the number of House points they had received, trickled out and spilled everywhere. The jewels caused the duellers in the Entrance hall to slip and slide as the smooth beads got under their feet. For a couple of moments there was a slight panic that had nothing to do with the battle, before the fighting was resumed once more.

In the transition between the two phases of panic, Regina slipped away. She knew, now, that she would become her mother's most sought after target and was determined to put as much space between them as she could. While Cora was a cold, calculating near-psychopath, she was still Regina's mother and the younger Mills wasn't sure whether she would be able to duel her without letting her feelings get in the way. She would much rather someone else take down Cora.

Rushing upwards, Regina darted behind a cracked, toppled pillar to survey the scene below in the Entrance Hall. Students ran in every direction. Some had paused in their duelling for long enough to move injured friends out of harm's way. Neville was entering the space from the Dungeon corridor with armfuls of a plant that Regina recognised as Venomous Tentacula. He seemingly released it, jumping aside as the plant wrapped itself around the Death Eater closest and began pulling him in tighter and tighter.

Yaxley was standing close to the front doors and Regina's heart contracted painfully as she watched him shooting curses towards Emma, who was valiantly fighting him off. Sending a curse in his direction, Regina breathed a sigh of relief as he went rigid and then keeled over. Emma glanced up in surprise, meeting her eyes and winking, before darting away to assist Neville with the killer plant.

She moved upwards through the castle, being drawn into battle with numerous masked and unmasked Death Eaters. Regina recognised all of them, most noticeably Abraxus and Finnegan Jones, Rodolphus and the Carrows. Each of them fixed her with a look of confusion, before their eyes hardened and they became more focused in their attack. She retaliated with just as much determination, using the highly charged atmosphere around her to fuel her. Sending a curse in Finnegan's direction, slashing her wand furiously through the air, Regina watched as his eyes widened and he stumbled backwards. His back hit the stone railing behind him and he disappeared over the edge.

As Regina turned to look for her next opponent, she caught sight of a dark head of hair and painfully familiar dark eyes disappearing around a corner. "Henry?"

When the figure didn't respond or stop, she pushed through the battling witches and wizards and set off after him, convinced that it was her son. By the time she reached the corridor he had been heading towards, there was no sign of anyone who could have matched his description. Feeling the knot in her chest almost double in size as she wondered whether Henry was in the castle somewhere, Regina turned back to join the battle.

"You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery." Regina froze as the cold, high voice filled her head. She felt as though the Dark Lord was standing beside her, hissing his words directly into her ear. It was loud enough for that to be true, but she knew that it was simply a spell, designed to magnify his voice so that everyone in the castle and those in Hogsmeade could hear it as well. "Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured." There was a slight pause, the voice silent for a couple of beats before it sounded again, just as loud as before. "I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

As the voice died away, Regina felt as though her shoes had been fused to the stone below her feet. She couldn't bring herself to move, to break the spell that had been left behind after Voldemort's threat. Around her, people were starting to make their way out. The Death Eaters trooped out of the castle, none of them willing to push their luck by going against the brief truce that their leader had called. The students and teachers and members of the Order made their way down to the Great Hall, supporting the injured and tenderly transporting the dead. Regina had the urge to run, to bury her head in the sand, to avoid learning the truth about what had happened. She knew, in her heart, that there was tragedy waiting for her beyond the heavy wooden doors and her eyes filled with tears as every potential outcome ran through her mind in quick succession.

The unnatural silence that seemed to fill the castle drove Regina towards the Great Hall. She pointedly avoided looking down at the flagstone floor of the Entrance Hall after catching sight of a large blood stained which turned her stomach and made her retch. Placing a hand on the wooden doors, she paused and closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in deeply, before stepping over the threshold and looking around.

The first thing she noticed was that the long House tables were gone missing, which was helpful considering how crowded the room was. Witches and wizards stood around in clumps, talking quietly and attempting to comfort each other. There was sobbing from all directions and Regina scanned the room for the people she was most eager to see. Passing the raised platform at the front of the room, glancing quickly at Madam Pomfrey and her helpers who were doing their best to cope with the number of injuries that had been presented to them.

In the very centre of the Great Hall lay a row of dead bodies. Some were so badly injured that they weren't immediately recognisable. Regina forced herself to look away from the lifeless face of a young girl she recognised from her Advanced Arithmancy Studies class, feeling sick to her stomach. As she looked up, Regina's eyes fell on a group of redheaded people, surrounding one of the bodies. Almost as though her feet were carrying her forward without her knowledge, Regina made her way towards them. She reached out and laid her hand on Arthur's arm, her eyes conveying everything she couldn't put into words. He merely nodded at her as Molly lurched to her feet and threw herself into the younger woman's arms. Wrapping her in a tight embrace, Regina allowed her gaze to fall on Fred, tears spilling from her eyes as she considered everything her friends had lost.

Pulling back slightly, Molly looked at Regina with sadness covering every inch of her usually sunny countenance. "Regina…"

Turning her head slightly, she glanced at one of the bodies lying beside her son's. Following her gaze Regina felt as though an invisible hand was squeezing heart. The breath was knocked from her lungs and the room around her began to spin. She went cold and then very hot as she stared at the young woman laid out on the flagstone floor, looking so peaceful that she could have simply been asleep.

A terrible, heart-broken cry was ripped from her lips as she stared down at the bodies of her niece and nephew-in-law. Tonks and Remus had been placed side-by-side, their hands almost touching; together in death as they had been in life. Regina stumbled forward, dropping heavily to the ground beside the young woman, not noticing the impact as her knees connected forcefully with the flagstone floor. She reached out and brushed a strand of hair, matted with dried blood, away from Tonks' face. Regina's palm rested lightly on her niece's cheek for a moment and she looked into her lifeless face, before she crumpled inward and gave in to her devastation.

"It was your sister…" Molly murmured, placing a hand on Regina's shoulder. When the younger woman looked up at met her eyes, both sets filled with tears, she nodded. "Bellatrix murdered Tonks."

That information was harder to swallow than the news that her niece was dead. Tears clouded her vision once more and she drew in a long, stuttered breath. In that moment, all she wanted to do was be wrapped in the safety and comfort of Emma's arms. Suddenly she was terrified; she hadn't seen the blonde anywhere since just after she'd spoken to her mother.

"Where's… what's happened to… where's Emma?" She forced out, the colour draining from her face as she was suddenly hit by the very real possibility that she might have lost her girlfriend in the battle as well.

"The last time I saw her she was helping David and Philip bring those with injuries in from the rest of the castle." Arthur told her quickly, seeing how agitated she was. "She was fine." They glanced up as figure entered their field of vision. "Philip…"

"I'm so sorry, Arthur… Molly…" The younger man reached out and laid his hand on Arthur's shoulder. "I don't know what to say."

"How's it looking?" Arthur asked, turning the attention back to the bigger picture, wanting to be distracted from his grief for a moment or two.

"Killian, Emma and David are doing a final sweep of the castle now. Kingsley, Neal and Hestia are out scouring the grounds. We think we've got everyone inside, but…" He shook his head. "We've lost so many…"

"Mom!"

Regina was sure that her heart had actually stopped at the sound of her son's voice, harsh and much too loud in the near-reverent hush of the Great Hall. Her head snapped up immediately and she watched him running through the groups of people towards her. She only just managed to open her arms before he was throwing himself into them and clinging onto her tightly.

"Mom… I'm sorry. I couldn't go… I couldn't leave you."

"Henry…" She grasped at him desperately; smoothing down his hair, straightening his robes, cupping his face. "Henry. Sweetheart. We need to get you out of here." She looked up, wide-eyed, catching Aurora's husband's gaze. "Philip… Is the tunnel still open?"

He shook his head. "We blocked it up in case they tried to use it."

"I won't leave you!" Henry said firmly, clutching at his mother more tightly. "I won't. I… Is that… Tonks?"

At the wobble in his voice as he stared down at his favourite cousin's corpse, Regina felt the white hot pain of the young woman's loss even more keenly. She held her son against her tightly, running a hand through his hair in a repetitive motion as he sobbed against her shoulder.

They stayed like that for a while, before someone joined them, wrapping them both in a tight embrace. Regina didn't need to open her eyes to recognise the woman who had pulled them both into her arms. She buried her face in Emma's hair, breathing in the familiar, soothing smell of her shampoo and perfume and the scent that was so uniquely Emma.

"Harry Potter is dead." Voldemort's magically magnified voice broke through the tense silence that had fallen over the castle. Instinctively Emma and Regina shifted so that Hnery was sandwiched protectively between them. "He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone. The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

No one spoke as the voice died away and silence reigned once more. Almost as though drawn by an invisible magnetic force, everyone in the Great Hall who was capable of moving walked through the doors and out into the Entrance Hall, heading for the main doors. They stepped outside into the dawn light, looking warily at the Death Eaters who had taken up their positions in a line facing the open front doors of the school. Voldemort himself stood at the front of the group, visible for the first time since the barrel had broken out. His great snake, Nagini, was draped around his neck and he was stroking her head lazily with one long, pale finger.

"NO!" Minerva screamed at the sight of Potter cradled lifelessly in Hagrid's arms. Regina instantly recognised the laughter that answered the older woman's anguish and was disgusted, but not surprised, at how much Bellatrix was enjoying McGonagall's despair.

"No!"

"No!"

"Harry! HARRY!"

The screams and shouts of abuse from the crowd towards the line of Death Eaters grew louder and louder until Voldemort shouted, cutting through them like a knife through hot butter. He raised his wand and flicked it lazily in their direction. There was a loud bang and a blinding flash of light, before the noise died away instantly.

"SILENCE! It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet where he belongs!" Voldemort waited until the teenager had been placed on the ground before pacing backward and forward triumphantly. "You see? Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

"He beat you!" Ron screamed into the silence. At his words the crowd of witches and wizards behind him began to make themselves heard once again. A second, even louder bang erupted from the end of Voldemort's wand and the telltale signs of a Silencing Charm tugged at Regina's throat.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds." Voldemort told them gleefully as soon as it was quiet once more. "Killed while trying to save himself!"

Regina saw what was about to happen and tried in vain to reach out and grab the arm of the teenager who was pushing through the crowd. She missed and Neville stepped forward, breaking free of the group of people clustered around the castle doors and lunging towards Voldemort and the Death Eaters opposite them. He barely made it a few feet before the Dark Lord flicked his wand lazily and Disarmed him with very little effort. He laughed coldly as Neville stood in the bleak stretch of courtyard between the castle and its attackers.


	24. Chapter 24

"And who is this?" Voldemort asked in a soft tone that made Regina shudder. "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

Bellatrix laughed manically. "It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?"

"Ah, yes, I remember. But you are a pureblood, aren't you, my brave boy?" Voldemort asked Neville curiously.

"So what if I am?" Neville snapped defiantly.

"You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom."

"I'll join you when hell freezes over! Dumbledore's Army!"

The Silencing Charm failed as a loud, confident cheer answered Neville's cry. The Death Eaters seemed a little taken aback and Emma laughed, squeezing her girlfriend's hand soothingly. Beside her, the brunette was gratified to see the smile drop slowly from her eldest sister's face.

"Very well," said Voldemort in a tone that chilled Regina to the bone. "If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head be it."

He waved his wand and everyone facing him held their breath, wondering what was about to happen. Split seconds passed before something flew through the air and dropped into Voldemort's outstretched hand. Fighting the urge to move forward so that she could get a better look at what the object might be, Regina kept a close grip on her son's shoulders as he, too, attempted to move closer. Voldemort held up the Sorting Hat by its point for all to see.

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School. There will be no more Houses. The emblem, shield and colours of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice everyone. Won't they, Neville Longbottom?"

With a flick of his wand he cast the Body-Bind Curse on Neville, rendering him unable to move, before stepping close and forcing the hat onto the teenager's head. He jammed it down over his ears and smiled dangerously. In response Regina, along with many others watching the interaction from the steps of the castle, made to intervene; to do something, anything, to help the boy who had so bravely and defiantly faced Voldemort. Instantly the Death Eaters raised their wands; aiming them towards the defenders of the castle threateningly. All movement stilled as they watched anxiously.

"Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me." Voldemort informed them in a light, breezy tone.

He flicked his wand once more and the Sorting Hat burst into flame. Terrible, agonised screams broke the silence and yet Neville remained motionless. As the fire raged around him, licking at his clothes and flesh, he was unable to do anything to protect himself.

Emma was coiled and ready for action but, just before she could do anything to help the teenage boy, a commotion from somewhere just out of sight reached their ears. They turned as one to watch Grawp bearing down on them from one side and a swarm of much bigger, more terrifying giants approaching from the other.

"HAGGER!"

As the giants came even closer to entering the fray, everyone scattered. The Death Eaters shouted in panic, rushing away from the newest danger in an attempt to protect themselves from being squashed by the giants when they reached the courtyard. Regina pushed Henry towards Emma as she spotted her sister darting away, determined to catch up with her before she got too far.

A hand closed around her wrist and Emma dragged her back, shaking her head as Regina shot her an irritated scowl. "No, you stay with Henry… keep him safe."

"Emma!"

But the blonde had darted away before her girlfriend could argue. Grabbing Henry by the hand, Regina started heading away, pulling him behind along her as she looked for somewhere safe for him to hide.

"HARRY!" Hagrid's booming voice was easily heard, even over the commotion. "HARRY… WHERE'S HARRY?"

Regina knew in that moment that there was nowhere safe. Her heart sank as she realised that the only way to protect Henry would be to keep him with her, to shield him from attack and to fight for their lives. Holding his hand tightly, she dragged him towards the castle doors. He stared around wide-eyed watching the thestrals and a hippogriff attacking the approaching giants from above while Grawp punched and kicked at them. The centaurs had entered the fight, trampling Death Eaters beneath their hooves as they charged across the stone ground.

Shooting curses and hexes at any Death Eater who looked as though they were about to attack, Regina made her way into the Great Hall, still pulling Henry with her. They were just in time to see the kitchen door blasted open and an army of house-elves flooding out to join the battle. They were armed with kitchen implements which, when combined with the malevolence on their faces, was a terrifying scene.

"Fight! Fight! Fight for my Master, defender of house-elves! Fight the Dark Lord, in the name of brave Regulus! Fight!" The one Regina thought she recognised as her cousins' former house-elf screeched, his voice carrying easily above the cacophony of noise.

"Regina!" She turned at the sound of her name, finding herself looking at the dishevelled-haired, slightly manic, petrified face of her sister. "Have you seen Draco? Please… Please, Gina. I need to find him."

She shook her head, Narcissa's infectious panic invaded her and she gripped her son's hand more tightly. "No. I haven't… but… Cissy. Ciss, Dora… I… Bella murdered Dora…"

Narcissa stopped, her face going even paler than usual and her nails digging painfully into Regina's arm. "What? No…"

"She murdered her. She murdered her own niece." Regina repeated, dragging Henry into her side and holding him tightly. "Dora's dead…"

"I…" Tears sprang to the blonde's eyes. She looked at Henry, lifting a hand to touch his cheek briefly, before pressing her hand to Regina's. "Be careful. Please, I… I can't lose… I've got to find Draco."

"We'll look out for him." The younger woman promised her. "You be careful, too."

Smiling softly, Narcissa whirled away to continue her search for her son. Needing to get Henry out of the Great Hall and to somewhere safer, Regina headed for the Entrance Hall once more. She dodged past George Weasley and Lee Jordan who had just managed to overpower Yaxley, stepped backwards to avoid being knocked over by Dolohov who had just been felled by Professor Trelawney and breathed a sigh of relief as Ron and Neville simultaneously shot stunning spells at Fenrir Greyback, who hit the ground with a loud thud.

Regina paused, watching Minerva, Slughorn and Kingsley Shaklebolt all attempting to take on Voldemort at the same time. She examined the cold hatred that covered his face as they fought. Even with their immense skill they were unable to take him down. She was filled with guilt as she watched, knowing that she should be helping instead of running for safety. Taking a deep breath, she turned to her son. Grasping Henry by the shoulders, she met his eyes and held his gaze steadily.

"Henry, go over there. Cast a shield charm and stay out of danger." She ordered him.

"But, Mom, I can help…"

She shook her head, touching his cheek as Narcissa had just done. "Please, Henry."

He sighed but then nodded and retreated to the quietest corner of the Great Hall to do as she had requested. Regina stepped forward, joining the battle. Minerva shot her a grateful smile as she joined them, which the younger witch returned briefly, before gritting her teeth and throwing herself into the fight.

Someone jostled into her and she glanced around, realising that it was Ginny Weasley, engaged in battle with several other people. Following her line of vision, Regina's heart contracted as she realised that Bellatrix was duelling Hermione, Ginny and Luna. Bellatrix was extremely skilled and Regina knew that the three teenage girls wouldn't last much longer against her eldest sister.

Making a split-second decision, she changed the direction of her spells. Bellatrix glanced over at her and Regina saw her eyes widen as she realised who it was that had just joined the fight. For a moment, the younger sister could have sworn that she saw hurt and betrayal on the older witch's face, but then it was gone and a cruel smirk twisted her lips instead. Regina's face and heart both hardened at Bellatrix's expression, her own hurt and regret at the situation evaporating immediately.

"Come on, then, baby sister." Bellatrix taunted her with a cold laugh. "Think you're finally a match for me? I'm not going to play nice for you this time."

"When have you ever played nice, Bella? Besides, I've always been a match for you." Regina snapped back.

"Aww… I think it's adorable… you trying to protect these little girlies. They will never trust you, Regina. They'll never thank you for this. You might die to protect them, but they'll never feel anything but suspicion for you." Bellatrix taunted her. Aiming off to Regina's left, the older woman smiled malevolently. " _Avada Kedavra_."

Regina was unable to do anything as the flash of green light shot past her. She held her breath, whirling round to see who Bellatrix had aimed her killing spell at. The curse narrowly missed Ginny, passing her less than an inch above her shoulder. The girl went as white as a ghost as she realised just how close she had been to death. Immediately, Regina raised her wand and shot a stream of curses towards her sister. Bellatrix laughed delightedly at the reaction she had managed to illicit from the younger woman, batting them away as though they were nothing more than an irritating stream of bats flapping around her.

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" Molly screamed, alerted by the screams and realising what had just happened. She sprinted towards them, throwing off her cloak as she ran.

Bellatrix grinned again, laughing even more delightedly in response. "Well, well, well…"

"Bella!" Regina implored her, knowing that it would do no good. Her sister was long past saving, but she had to try. " _Stupi_ –"

"OUT OF MY WAY!"

Regina was knocked sideways as Molly crashed into her. There was nothing she could do but watch as both women slashed with their wands and dodged and twisted to avoid being hit by the other's curses. Bellatrix's smile dropped from her face as she realised the battle was not going her way and her lips curled into a feral snarl. Regina recognised the expression well, knowing that nothing good ever came of her eldest sister being that furious. The tension skyrocketed as both witches aimed to kill the other.

"No!" Molly ordered as Regina attempted to join her. "Get back! Get back! She is mine!"

Regina didn't know what to do. Everyone in the Great Hall seemed to be in the same position as she was, simply standing and watching the two furious fights going on in the centre of the room; Voldemort duelling with Minerva, Slughorn and Kinglsey and Bellatrix and Molly battling at the other end of the Hall.

"What will happen to your children when I've killed you?" Bellatrix crooned with mock-concern. She laughed as one of Molly's curses narrowly missed her. "When Mummy's gone the same way as Freddie?"

"You… will… never… touch… our… children… again!"

In response, the brunette laughed even more manically. Regina shook her head, almost able to taste the tension in the air. She gripped her wand tightly, itching to do something, to do something to help. With a final slashing motion, Molly sent a curse towards Bellatrix, which managed to find its way beneath her arm and meet its mark. The jet of light struck her in the chest.

There was a long silence. Everything seemed to simply stop for a long time as Bellatrix froze. Her laughter died in her throat and her eyes searched the crowd, connecting with her younger sister's for the shortest of moments. Regina felt like she was about to vomit. A surge of emotion forced its way up her throat and she gasped desperately for air as she watched Bellatrix topple lifelessly to the flagstone floor.

"BELLA!" Regina heard herself screaming her sister's name, without even realising that it was her that had spoken.

A stuttered breath caught in her throat as she stared sightlessly ahead of her. A chill ran through her body and she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as someone moved forward and laid a hand on her arm. Regina turned her head and met Emma's eyes, seeing nothing but sympathy and understanding reflected back at her. It was ridiculous, the brunette knew, that she was devastated by the death of her eldest sister but it was still there and she was unable to deny that.

As though he was similarly devastated by the loss, Voldemort shrieked furiously. Minerva, Kingsley and Slughorn were blasted backward, flying through the air and smashing into the far wall. Spinning round immediately, before his previous duelling partners had hit the ground, Voldemort aimed his wand menacingly at Molly Weasley.

" _Protego_!" Roared a voice.

A Shield Charm erupted across the centre of the Great Hall, protecting Molly from the attack. Voldemort, along with everyone else in the room, stared around for the caster of the charm, unable to work out where it had come from. There was a very audible gasp that ran around the room as Harry Potter suddenly appeared in their midst.

"HE'S ALIVE!"


End file.
